Thomas Edison electrocuted an elephant named Topsy in 1903 just to prove that his rival Nikola Tesla’s alternating current was dangerous.

A closer look

Thomas Edison electrocuted an elephant named Topsy in 1903 just to prove that his rival Nikola Tesla’s alternating current was dangerous. He literally filmed the poor beast getting zapped with 6,600 volts to win a petty corporate smear campaign, which is arguably the most American origin story for corporate PR ever recorded. While modern tech billionaires settle their rivalries by challenging each other to cage matches they will inevitably back out of, Edison opted for casual public animal cruelty to secure his market share. It is deeply cynical but unsurprising that the guy we credit with the lightbulb also pioneered the art of destroying your competitor's reputation via gratuitous cinematic villainy