On: Why Does the U.S. Have Three Electrical Grids?

[_ofdw]

Fire is a natural phenomenon and I don't see how it can credibly be called an invention. That would be like calling water an invention.

The others, though, are certainly inventions.

[iaw → _ofdw]

I would argue that the ability to make controlled fires was an invention and perhaps the first chemistry humans intentionally performed, but I think it's just a point of semantics.

[ClumsyPilot → _ofdw]

Well, by that logic neither is electricity, since lightning exists.

And magnets certainly do occur naturaly, and so does nuclear fission and fusion.

[_ofdw → ClumsyPilot]

I agree. To say that a natually-occurring physical process or phenomenon was invented is nonsensical.

Electricity is not the same as electric power, just as nuclear fission is not the same as a nuclear weapon, just the same as fire is not the same as a coal fired power plant.

Electricity and nuclear fission were discovered, not invented.

[SECProto → _ofdw]

I see a lot more natural electricity (lightning, monthly) than I do natural fire (wildfires? Never)

[danielheath → SECProto]

Almost as though methods to prevent wildfires are one of the earliest human inventions.

[SECProto → danielheath]

I mean, the reason I have never seen a wildfire is because they are exceedingly rare in my local biome. Nothing to do with artificial wildfire prevention.

[gizmo385 → danielheath]

Given the record fire seasons in Colorado and California, not sure how well this comment reads.

[dylan604 → gizmo385]

It reads just fine. That particular individual has not seen wildfires in person. No need to read anything else into it.

[X6S1x6Okd1st → _ofdw]

Do you think that electricity can credibly be called an invention?

[_ofdw → X6S1x6Okd1st]

No, but I distinguish between Electricity, the physical phenomenon, and Electric Power, the application of electric charge to energize a device. Lightning is the obvious example of electricity that is not electric power.

[X6S1x6Okd1st → _ofdw]

Why not distinguish between fire the physical phenomenon and controlled fire the application of fire to heat up objects or provide light?