Electricity: the electrifying history

In contemporary society, electricity is ubiquitous - it surrounds you - Phones, tablets, and computers are just a few of the many objects charged by electricity. Other than in objects, electricity can also be found in nature and even in our bodies. But have you considered what the world was like before humanity attained great interest in electricity?

Let’s pretend we have a time machine and rewind to the past. Try to be in someone’s shoes who is touring a house on one of those days. You will likely be surprised by the way people live: instead of vacuum cleaners, the rich pay servants to beat the dusty old carpet. As an alternative to computers, citizens simply use the abacus to store big numbers. They use small lamps and candles in order to find their way home. People also rode the simple cartwheel animal for transportation — but the horse gives quite an inconvenient and bumpy ride.

Eventually, members of this society gradually became aware of electricity and invented ways to ease the struggle of human life. Examples of inventions include the television and the vacuum cleaner, both invented in 1923 and 1903 respectively. The computer, another item of the contemporary surrounding, was introduced to the world by Alan Turing during the second world war period. In the 1880s, Thomas Edison invented light bulbs to provide light using electricity.

Today, computers (and vacuum cleaners) have gotten smaller, and lightbulbs have gotten more efficient and long-lasting. Alongside the computers and cleaners, cars have become more comfortable and faster as well. Electricity and technology have been making our lives easier. Some people don’t have to maneuver their cars since the cars themselves take you to the destination.

Although electricity seems to have been all good for the world, this isn’t necessarily the case. Most generated electricity relies on fossil fuels: coal, gas, and oil. These harm the environment when dug out and burnt contributing to dangerous chemicals which contaminates nearby water and agriculture. Therefore, scientists are now striving to find more sustainable and renewable energy sources as fossil fuels are aggravating climate change.

Since climate change is leading us towards catastrophe, I sincerely hope human beings will find a solution soon. At the end of the day, electricity has made innumerable lives more enjoyable, but has also brought about unforeseen complications.