Edison vs. Tesla | Work of the World | 2

This segment explores the historical rivalry between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse in the late 19th century. It highlights the shift from Edison's direct current to Westinghouse's more efficient alternating current system, which promised to revolutionize urban lighting and business infrastructure.

This segment explores the early life of Nikola Tesla and his pivotal role in challenging Thomas Edison's dominance in the electrical industry. It details Tesla's formative experiences with electricity, his academic journey, and his eventual partnership with George Westinghouse to advance alternating current technology.

Nikola Tesla, struggling with health issues and an obsession with improving Zénobe Gramme's dynamo, experiences a moment of clarity while walking in a Budapest park. He envisions a revolutionary electric motor design and draws it in the dirt, believing it will transform the world by automating labor.

Nikola Tesla conceives the design for his alternating current motor in Budapest before moving to Paris to work for Thomas Edison's company. Frustrated by the limitations of Edison's direct current system and the dismissal of his own ideas, Tesla eventually decides to move to New York to pursue his vision.

Nikola Tesla arrives in New York City in 1884 and begins working for Thomas Edison at his Fifth Avenue headquarters. The segment highlights the stark contrast between the two men and depicts Tesla's early dedication to his work on the SS Oregon.

Nikola Tesla's tenure at Thomas Edison's company was marked by technical disagreements over direct versus alternating current and personal friction regarding business ethics. After being denied a promised bonus and dismissed by Edison, Tesla attempted to strike out on his own, only to be sidelined by his own investors.

This segment details the labor unrest in late 19th-century America, contrasting the industrial conflicts faced by workers with the personal struggles of Nikola Tesla. It highlights Tesla's transition from an engineer at Thomas Edison's company to manual labor, and his eventual breakthrough in securing funding for his alternating current system.

Nikola Tesla successfully develops and demonstrates his innovative polyphase alternating current motor, overcoming skepticism from the electrical engineering community. His breakthrough, which eliminates the need for a commutator, attracts the attention of prominent industrialist George Westinghouse.

Nikola Tesla partners with George Westinghouse to advance alternating current technology, aiming to challenge Thomas Edison's electrical dominance. The collaboration begins after Westinghouse's engineers verify Tesla's designs, leading to a strategic alliance in Pittsburgh.