1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you get in touch with technology? With 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: tech stuff from how stuff looks dot com. Well, hello there, 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: and welcome to text stuff. My name is Chris Poulette 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: and I am an editor at how stuff works dot com. 6 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: And because we're recording a podcast, the person sitting across 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: from me is senior writer Jonathan Strickland. There was no 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: possibility of taking a walk that day. That was a 9 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: really short quote. Yes, I you know when you can 10 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: always tell when I'm pressed for time. It's the short quotes. Well. Originally, 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: Chris and I when we were talking about doing this 12 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: series of podcasts, this being the third part on our 13 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: series on g E, we originally talked about doing two 14 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: episodes in our two parts series exactly we're gonna do 15 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: parts one in parts two. But then as we looked 16 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: at the history, and it is a long and storied 17 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: history that we knew that we really couldn't it that 18 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: into two episodes unless we went super long, and we 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: try and reserve the super long episodes for things like 20 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: the four episode or talking to Brian Brushwood. So we 21 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: decided to something that Jonathan's vain pop out on this forehead. Yeah, 22 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,199 Speaker 1: anything that makes me rant. So we wanted to try 23 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: and uh and keep it a little more manageable. So 24 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: this is part three, um, and we thought we would 25 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: start with a monumental event in the history of the 26 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: United States and really in the world in general, or 27 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: actually not in the world in general. Yes, it was 28 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: out of this world nineteen sixty nine, the Lunar landing, which, 29 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: for the purposes of this podcast we are going to 30 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: say actually happened on the Moon. Yes, it was not 31 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: a hoax, It was not done in some television studio. 32 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: It really did happen, people, and just just just go 33 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: with this. It did happen, because if you say it 34 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: didn't happen, there's a chance and astronaut is going to 35 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: show up in deck. You h you know, I'm not arguing. 36 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: I'm not arguing either, but I mean you're you know, 37 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: looking at me when you say that, I completely Well, 38 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: it's because you're across from me. That's so. Anyway, Yes, 39 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: the lunar landing in nineteen sixty nine. So you've probably 40 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: seen the the iconic image of the footprint left behind 41 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: by Neil Armstrong on the service of the Moon. Yes, well, 42 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: the company that made the material that created that boot 43 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: print silicone rubber. As it turns out that was g 44 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: e Ge created the silicone rubber that was used in 45 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: Neil Armstrong's boots as well as the other astronauts, so 46 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: that that bootprint is courtesy of GES technology. Yep. Oh. 47 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: They also did a couple other things like quality control systems, 48 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: U launch vehicle test facilities, ship to satellite communications for 49 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: live color TV pictures of splashdown, and recovery systems, engineering support, 50 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: just little stuff. Sure, but I'm talking about the boot Okay, 51 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: I'm about that footprint, but no, that is that. It's 52 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: really cool they did play that was one of the 53 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,920 Speaker 1: companies that played a large part in getting people to 54 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: the Moon. Not the only one, obviously, there were many 55 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: other companies that all contributed to that effort, but g 56 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: did make a significant contribution to the space race and 57 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: it was pretty awesome to see that come together. And 58 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: if you guys have never watched any video footage of 59 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: the lunar landing, I highly recommend you check it out. 60 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: There's tons of it on the internet. Um. I like 61 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: watching the reactions of the news anchors when the linear 62 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: landing set down. Because you see these these these people 63 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: who have developed very very stately professional personas on the air, 64 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: and you see them kind of you see that crack 65 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: just a bit as the enormity of this event hits 66 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: them in real time. It's phenomenal. That probably doesn't mean 67 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: as much to you if you aren't familiar with their 68 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: previous work, But for those who have seen footage of 69 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: these newscasters UH reporting all sorts of events, including major tragedies, 70 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: and see them kind of break down a little bit 71 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: when they see people land on the moon, it kind 72 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: of gives you an idea of how big a deal 73 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: this was. It's easier for us to forget now because 74 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: we're so far removed from it, but it was enormous. 75 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: And also, I just anything that that shows that kind 76 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: of level of awe in in in human achievement, to 77 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: me is is really inspiring. So those are Jonathan's feelings 78 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 1: in a capsule. There you go. Nineteen seventy the GE 79 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: sold one of its divisions. This is one of those 80 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: few times where did divest itself of something. It's sold 81 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: a computer division to a company called Honeywell, we'll have 82 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: to do an episode on Honeywell at some point too. 83 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: So nineteen seventy they sell this computer division to Honeywell, 84 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: which is why g E is not really into the 85 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: whole computer side of of the industry. Um. And in 86 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy one they introduced something that is very again 87 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: really important to those of us in the South. Well, 88 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: it's especially cool. Yes, it is especially cool, especially when 89 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 1: you're on the go because it was it's also handy, 90 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: the first sup portable air conditioner. Yes, they carry cool, Yes, 91 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: very cool. Yes, definitely. Anything where you can move an 92 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: air conditioner from room to room is awesome. Um. Yeah, 93 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: very important for those of us who live in warm climates. 94 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: And in when we were recording this, we had an 95 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: exceptionally mild winter. Mild is probably even going being generous. 96 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: It was warm to the point where we were hitting 97 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: eighty degree temperatures in February, which makes us worry about 98 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,359 Speaker 1: what the temperatures could be like and say May or 99 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: June or Heaven help us August. Um. Uh, we've we've 100 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: talked about the many businesses with which ge was involved. 101 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: And in nine and seventy one also um, they worked 102 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: for the French company actually to pull this off, but 103 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: the g E F one oh one engine UM became 104 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: the world's most successful aircraft engine uhich is very very 105 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 1: popular machine. UM and you know, just another one of 106 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: the transportation businesses that they were involved in. There will 107 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: be actually some some new ones that we haven't talked 108 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 1: about in previous pot well, something we touched on in 109 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: previous podcasts, but not the same way. Also, the the 110 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:35,720 Speaker 1: second of the scientists at the GE laboratories um dr. 111 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: How would you pronounce his name, Ivar Giver THEE. This 112 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: last name is spelled g I A E v e R. Now, 113 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 1: the funny thing about this is he won this award 114 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: in ninety three, the Nobel and Physics UH for something 115 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: he did in six He discovered super conductive tunneling. And 116 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: we've talked about that in previous podcasts several times. So 117 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: if you want to know what's for conductive tunneling is 118 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: this is one of those weird quantum effects that that 119 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: is perplexing and can also be very irritating to computer engineers, 120 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: as the design chips. Super Conductive tunneling is that that 121 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: tendency for sub atomic particles to pass through barriers as 122 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: if the barrier is not there. Uh. And in general, 123 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: this has to do with the probability of a particle 124 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,239 Speaker 1: being within a certain area. As the particle approaches a 125 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: a a barrier, there is a probability that the particle 126 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: will be on the other side of that barrier. And 127 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: as long as there's a probability, that means that there 128 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: is going to be, at least in some instances, a 129 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: case where the subatomic particle will be on the other 130 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: side that barrier as if it passed through it. Now, 131 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: there is no actual tunnel left behind that. It's not 132 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: like there's a hole made through the barrier. It's just 133 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: that there's a point where the subotomic particle is on 134 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: one side and then it's on the other. And that's crazy, 135 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: but it's also quantum. I should also point out that, 136 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: you know, we were talking about nineteen three back in 137 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: seventy two, just really briefly, uh. Fred J. Borch retired 138 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: in seventy two and Reginald H. Jones became chairman and CEO. Okay, 139 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: so Borch was the chairman and CEO. Yeah, he was 140 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: president and CEO, and then sixty seven he became the 141 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: chairman and CEO, and then seventy two, he retires and 142 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: Reginald H. Jones becomes the chairman and CEO. Okay, just 143 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: since you know, in case you were just tuning in, yes, yes, yes, 144 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: because that wasn't the last podcast, so it was like yes, 145 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: so for you guys, it was a week ago. We're sorry. 146 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: So seventy eight is the next date I have? Do 147 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: you have anything between seventy yes? I do. UM. Now 148 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: we UH. We've talked about in previous podcast gees interest 149 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: in medical fields actually from from a pretty early time 150 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: in its corporate history. The company was involved with different 151 00:08:54,200 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: medical technologies UM, electronic medical technologies, and we also talked 152 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: about a super conductive magnet UH that they created. Well, 153 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: this is where we're starting to get into the heavy 154 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: duty UM high end high tech scanners. UH. Seventy six 155 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: is when they created a computed tomography scanner scanner UM. 156 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: And this is a time when GEES units have worked together. 157 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: There's a group at the research and Development center and 158 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: and also at the Medical Systems division can do cross 159 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: section X rays in five seconds. UM greatly speeds up 160 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: medical diagnoses. So that is a pretty and nifty technology. 161 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: And also UM something else that was sort of curious back, 162 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: dating back to our first podcast on GE, is when 163 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: the company chose to acknowledge its hundred the anniversary. It's 164 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:53,559 Speaker 1: centennial and uh in what year seventy six? I thought, 165 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 1: I'm sure it was I had Okay, I'm sorry, Well 166 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: that yeah, I do too. Sorry I had looked down 167 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: at the wrong thing. But that's um, yeah, it is 168 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:09,320 Speaker 1: coming up because, uh, eighteen seventy six is when Thomas 169 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: Edison opened his laboratory. Um. But the Edison General Electric Company, 170 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: which is one of the two companies that that went 171 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: in to create General Electric, was founded in eighteen ninety. Yeah, 172 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: eighteen seventy eight was when he founded the Edison Electric 173 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: Light Company, which I guess is what GE identifies as 174 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: being the seed that it grew out of. Um. Yeah, 175 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: because sorry about my date incorrection. Oh no, no, no, 176 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: it just made me think that maybe because again, we 177 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,719 Speaker 1: we look at different Chris and I both do our 178 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: research independently, so once in a while, especially for something 179 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: as complex as a corporate history, you can come up 180 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: with some conflicts in dates. But in this case, it is, Uh, 181 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy eight was when they were saying they were 182 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 1: a hundred years old and apparently, I would say it's 183 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: the Electric Light Company that they're looking at, not the 184 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: electric company, hey you guys, but the Electric Light company 185 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: that that was the basis for their one years. They 186 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: counted from that point, even though the Edison General Electric 187 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: Company didn't start until eighteen ninety and the General Electric 188 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: Company itself didn't that merger didn't happen until what was 189 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: it like ninety six, eight ninety six, something like that. Um, 190 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: I was even after that, well after after Yeah. So anyway, 191 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:30,079 Speaker 1: you've got this whole uh, it's you've got this whole 192 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: uh centennial problem here. When do you trace your history back? 193 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: And yeah, same thing with IBM, where they have a 194 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 1: date that is slightly different than the date when the 195 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: company was actually incorporated. But yeah, they celebrate their their 196 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: uh their centennial. This goes all the way back to 197 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: the days at Menlo Park, New Jersey, which is now 198 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:55,959 Speaker 1: called New Jersey. Uh. It's where Thomas Alva Edison had 199 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: his own research lab. And uh. That year they also 200 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: introduced a new kind of a couple of new products, 201 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: including a new type of technology about helping you wake up. Yes, 202 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: the first programmable digital clock radio. That's a great way 203 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: to celebrate a hundred years. It's been blinking twelve since then. 204 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: Um no, yeah, So that was one of the two 205 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: products I had for that year, the other one being 206 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: an over the range microwave oven. Oh well, yeah, the 207 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: space Maker. But they also came out with the FP 208 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: one and FP two food processors. What you're really handy 209 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,559 Speaker 1: if you need to chop up a whole bunch of 210 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: veggies in a hurry. Um. Yeah. One of the things 211 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: that that we've talked about repeatedly on the other two 212 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: podcasts is GES diversity and its businesses. Now, of course 213 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: they're all um, revolving around things you can do with energy, 214 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: um and uh and in ways to add to them. Uh. 215 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: So you know, you've got your big stuff. You've got 216 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: dynam mos and and uh nuclear power plants things to 217 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: generate electricity. You've got uh jet engines and other transportations 218 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 1: stuff that uses energy to get you from place to place. 219 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:15,119 Speaker 1: And you've also got small appliances and and other appliances 220 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: larger appliances that people using their home to take advantage 221 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: of energy. So there the idea of one of the 222 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,839 Speaker 1: things that you identified early on was its desire to 223 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: come up with a whole range of stuff hot range, um, 224 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: that that people could use to make their lives better. 225 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: And um, so we are are are not teasing them 226 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: about the digital clock, radio or food processors, but you 227 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: know it just it really does show that the breadth 228 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,719 Speaker 1: of stuff that they are doing. Um. Also, in seventy eight, 229 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: they got eight hundred sixty five patents awarded to them 230 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: in the United States. They were the first organization to 231 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 1: get fifty thousand United States patents. That number is gonna 232 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:56,439 Speaker 1: go up, by the way. We'll have We'll have more 233 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 1: on that number as we go on. It's pretty crazy 234 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: when you look at the number of patents that were 235 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:06,959 Speaker 1: awarded to GE over its history. Um, the next year 236 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 1: I have is eighty one. Do you have anything between 237 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,839 Speaker 1: seventy eight one? No, I don't and eighty one was 238 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: sort of talk about crazy. Yeah, yeah, so well you 239 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: had you had the the the chairman CEO retired. Jones 240 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: retired and John elf Welch John F. Welch became the 241 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: new chairman and CEO Jay Jack. Yeah we're in a 242 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: first name basis being Jack. Yeah, I'm not. Mr Welch 243 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: became chairman and CEO. GE developed a method to create 244 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 1: fiber optics strands. They would actually create these, uh, these 245 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: ingots and would pull strands of material from them that 246 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: would create fiber optic lines. This, this is what I 247 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: think is crazy. Yeah. Three ft the the uh they 248 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: courts ingots. We're talking about our three ft long that's 249 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: about a meter, and they can be stretched into fiber 250 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: optics strands twenty five miles in length. Yeah, so it 251 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: goes from you know, I mean a miles what five feet? Yeah, 252 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: give or take nothing, nothing, So that's exactly yes. So 253 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: I mean that's you know, to put it in perspect 254 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: I was trying to put in respect because I didn't 255 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: do the metric translation for the but yeah, that's that's 256 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: a long stretch. So just multiply by one point six. 257 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, so yeah, that's that's pretty impressive. Uh. Then 258 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: and I've got three. They developed the signa magnetic resonance 259 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 1: imaging system, which is also known as the m r I, 260 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: which X rays are really good for looking at things 261 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: like bones. Yes, they're looking good at looking at hard tissue, 262 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: but not so good at looking at soft tissue. You know, 263 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: it doesn't show up very well on an X ray. 264 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: So if you're looking for something that could be a 265 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: problem beyond just something that's affecting hard tissue. An X 266 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: ray is not your best choice. The R I which 267 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: which is a technology that was born out of this UH, 268 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: this work that General Electric had been doing with magnets 269 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 1: for several decades. UH allowed doctors to look at soft 270 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: tissue in a way that they could not before without 271 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: doing like exploratory surgery. So this is a non invasive 272 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 1: way to get a look at what is going on 273 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: within a person's body. And UH, and you know, the 274 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: early m R I s were less sophisticated. It took 275 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: a lot longer to take a full image. We've talked 276 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: about m r s and another episode of tech Stuff, 277 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: but UM, this was this was really a revolution in 278 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: the medical imaging field. UM and UH and we we 279 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: talked about in a previous episode how the two companies 280 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: that went into creating GE that merged to create g E. 281 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 1: We're actually dueling it out for a very large electrical 282 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: project back before everybody had electric lights in their homes. UM. 283 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: The Chicago World straight at the Columbian Exposition. Um, well, 284 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: they were chosen in in to participate in another major 285 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 1: electrical public electrical project they were lighting up a Lady 286 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: yes yes, um, and this would be Lady Liberty, the 287 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: Statue of Liberty um given to the United States by 288 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: the French a long time ago. Well, they were they 289 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: were redoing the the Statue of Liberty. They were trying 290 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: to um uh clean it up, renovated, and they redid 291 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: the lighting from scratch. As a matter of fact, um 292 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: a GE person named Gilbert Riling came up with a 293 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:43,919 Speaker 1: completely new metal halide lamp specifically for this project. And 294 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: um the g E Research Labs and and Howard Branston, yeah, 295 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: came up with the lighting scheme for the statue and 296 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 1: its torch. So um they were instrumental in helping redo 297 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: the lighting for the for the statue. Also, in fifty 298 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 1: six years after the United States government told GE that 299 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: it had to get rid of our c A, g 300 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 1: E took over our ci A again. So they reacquired 301 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 1: r c A the Radio Corporation of America UH in 302 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty six, and also as part of that deal 303 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: acquired in BC, so g E once more has has 304 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: controlling interest in both r C and NBC. Now then 305 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: g E turns around and sells that interest in our 306 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: CI A to a partner company called Bertlesman and r c. A. 307 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: Then changes names it becomes b MG Music. Yes, b 308 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 1: is a German publisher. Yeah, and was again partnered with 309 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: General Electric. So yes, now you've got BMG Music and NBC. 310 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:55,439 Speaker 1: NBC still falling under the guidance of General Electric also 311 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: would eventually UM become part of a partnership between the 312 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 1: Electric and the company Comcast. Uh. This, by the way, 313 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:09,479 Speaker 1: forms the basis of many, many, many jokes found in 314 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 1: the television series thirty Rock. So in thirty Rock you 315 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: have Baldwin's character who is a corporate one, Alec Baldwin's character, 316 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: and it wasn't Stephen Baldwin. Uh. Alec Baldwin's character is 317 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: a corporate executive with General Electric UM, and he is 318 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 1: put in charge of many things, including some of the 319 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: programming at NBC, which involves the show that that UM 320 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: Liz Lemon works on. So he he talks about how 321 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: he helped introduce some very innovative products and GEES past, 322 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: including some crazy microwaves and things of that nature, which 323 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: again poke fun at gees history with home electronics and appliances. UM. 324 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: So if you always wondered where those jokes came from, Well, 325 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 1: it's because General Electric owns NBC. And then in more 326 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 1: recent episodes, they've talked about a cable company called cable 327 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 1: Town taking over more and more of the responsibilities of 328 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: producing the show. Uh. And and Jack Donneghie, the Baldwin character, 329 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: has now become executive with cable Town. Huh. That's the 330 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: whole reference to g and Comcast rending a partnership together 331 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 1: and overseeing in BC. So just giving you that background 332 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: so that you can understand why those jokes are funny, okay. Uh. 333 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 1: And in nineteen nine, they actually launched the Consumer News 334 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 1: and Business Channel or c NBC CNBC. It's a twenty 335 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 1: four hour news channel. It's sort of a competitor to CNN. 336 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, they will never make that work. 337 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: Um Uh. Simplicity which spelled with a C, which is 338 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: a computer system that basically tracks how auto automotive bodies 339 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: are traveling through uh, the manufacturing process, so they know 340 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: where parts are headed and where everything is going and 341 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: where it's been. So they have a good idea and 342 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: that's been adopted by a lot of the automotive industry today. Yeah. 343 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: It's an administrative software which really helps you know what's 344 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 1: going on at any given time during your whole process. 345 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: You can look at the supply chain even and say, well, 346 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: you know, we're gonna need to address this because it's 347 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:26,919 Speaker 1: gonna become a problem if we don't take care of 348 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: it at this point. So it's it's very useful. Again, 349 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: one of those things about improving efficiency, so not terribly 350 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: exciting to necessarily a consumer, but it does ultimately affect 351 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: the consumer because by improving efficiency you can do things 352 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:44,159 Speaker 1: like takedown, you know, keep prices low. So it's it 353 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: does end up affecting us in the long run. It's 354 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: just when at first clients you're like, well that's okay, 355 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 1: but I don't see what it's important to me. And 356 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,479 Speaker 1: then ninety two the Mars Observer rolled out. That was 357 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: the first newspaper on Mars. It was very effective. Um 358 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,679 Speaker 1: it's we yard because it came out in ninety two 359 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:08,119 Speaker 1: and the only comic strip it's running is Marmaduke. Uh No, 360 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: this was actually because I had m A r in 361 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: the names satellite that studies Martian geology and climate and 362 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: maps the planets. So it's a satellite. It's not actually 363 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,360 Speaker 1: a newspaper. I enjoyed the joke though. Um. And then 364 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:25,119 Speaker 1: in ninety three, the GE Medical Systems in the R 365 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 1: and D Center again went in on creating a magnetic 366 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: resonance therapy system. Also in ninety three, g E sold 367 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: off the GE Aerospace division to marry at A. Martin, 368 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 1: which would later become Blockheed Martin. Yep. So this is 369 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: another one of those instances where g did divest itself 370 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: of part of its business, not didn't do so that frequently, 371 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 1: just once in a while. So um, yeah, it's not 372 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:53,719 Speaker 1: not one of those habitual let's purchase everything every company 373 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 1: we can see and then sell off stuff that doesn't work, 374 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: that doesn't that's that doesn't tend to be GAS approach. Yeah, 375 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: but it's not. It also doesn't herald the end of 376 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: GES involvement in transportation as we's. Um, I'm gonna let 377 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: you take lead on this because you took much more 378 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:12,920 Speaker 1: detailed notes and during this era. Whereas this is the 379 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:15,880 Speaker 1: part where I started to uh, sorry to to check 380 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 1: my Facebook status, this is the part that's really exciting. Okay, 381 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:25,439 Speaker 1: g E Plastics. First, you can tell I went to 382 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: g dot com to get my information g Plastics was 383 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:32,959 Speaker 1: the first UM part of the company, which made it 384 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: the first Fortune five hundred company to go online and 385 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:39,199 Speaker 1: had its own website, first Fortune company that was not 386 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: a computer company, right the way, we need to be specific, sonny, 387 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: how they admitted that party. She didn't have to be 388 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,399 Speaker 1: really careful here. Yeah, g was one of the first 389 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,919 Speaker 1: Fortune companies to have a web presence, that first Fortune 390 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: five companies that didn't already deals exclusively with either computers 391 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: or networks. So they were a non computer, non network 392 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: company that had a website and that was that was 393 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 1: kind of a big deal. Now granted, back in really 394 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: all they had was a looping midi and an under 395 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: construction gift, but that's not true, but yeah, it was. 396 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 1: It was. Of course, it was much more static than 397 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,719 Speaker 1: than future websites would be. But in just two more years, 398 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: GE the company would launch its own website which would 399 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 1: become uh kind of a hub for lots and lots 400 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: and lots of different businesses. Also, they launched another project, 401 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:35,400 Speaker 1: which was a one that was in partnership with Microsoft. Yes, MSNBC, 402 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: which was part of the Microsoft Network and NBC together 403 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: working on a project of you know, it's UM a 404 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:48,439 Speaker 1: different sort of news station UM and is still on 405 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: the air today. UM UM and you c T system 406 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 1: UM using new technology that allows them to get multiple 407 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 1: images at the same time and speeds things up than 408 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 1: other single slice scanners. UM. It was that I find 409 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 1: this interesting. It was the first design for six Sigma 410 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: project that made it, which means fewer than three defects 411 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: per million opportunities. So it was supposedly, I'm going by 412 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 1: GES information, so I don't have anything that says otherwise. UM, 413 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 1: very very reliable. Yeah, I mean that is very significant. 414 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 1: It's it's uh, you know, we kind of take it 415 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: for granted that when stuff is put together that's done 416 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: so flawlessly, but in real life that that just does 417 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: not happen. There are going to be flaws, and sometimes 418 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: companies catch them before they go out to market. Sometimes 419 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:44,360 Speaker 1: consumers find out about them and then there's a recall 420 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: or sometimes there's a patch of some sort of it's 421 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: a software type thing. UM. We've seen that recently in 422 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: with UH Apple. Apple had released UH a new iPad 423 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: in the spring of and the y five versions of 424 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: the iPad where some consumers were reporting problems with it, 425 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,919 Speaker 1: and so Apple has essentially had a capture and release 426 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: program where you bring your iPad in that's having issues 427 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 1: and they'll replace it for you. And that that could 428 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,360 Speaker 1: be anything from a faulty chip to just a faulty 429 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: process in the manufacturing line. But that stuff happens. So 430 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: this that is why this is significant, is that you 431 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 1: might just take it for granted that things work. Things 432 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: don't just work. We have to work to make them work. Yes, 433 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 1: And you remember when we were talking earlier on another 434 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:36,399 Speaker 1: podcast about the powerful engines, Um, this is what I 435 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 1: meant about them not getting out of transportation entirely. The 436 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: g B, which is a catchy name, UH, was a 437 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: a jet engine that Boeing requested of them, A hundred 438 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: fifteen thousand pound thrust engine used for the seven seventy 439 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 1: seven two l R and seven seventy seven ER was 440 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: the most powerful mercial jet engine. I have one fact 441 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 1: in I want to share that I know is not 442 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: part of the GE timeline that I would like to mention. 443 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 1: So in ninety nine, UH, an interesting company, became a 444 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,439 Speaker 1: subsidiary of g E, a company that also has a 445 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 1: very long history Montgomery Ward. Really yes, GE was a 446 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 1: major shareholder in Montgomery Ward. You know, we talked about 447 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: how GE would invest money in other companies. Yeah, Montgomery 448 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 1: Award was a department store and a catalog company and 449 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:33,919 Speaker 1: company in the United States, and so there is a 450 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: Montgomery Ward that still exists today, but it's a different 451 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: company than the one that I'm talking about here. In 452 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 1: ninety nine, what happened was Montgomery Ward, this catalog company 453 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: and department store, went into Chapter eleven. GE then ended 454 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: up taking over and it became a subsidiary of g E. 455 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 1: Now it would it would later fold completely. The company 456 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: would just fold within a year or two. So but 457 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 1: I just thought that was interesting. It's one of those 458 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: things where you know, it's again shows you that g 459 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: was diversifying by investing in lots of different businesses, not 460 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: all of which were successful, but just one of those 461 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 1: things that I thought was an interesting fact about g 462 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 1: and I wanted to mention it before we said goodbye 463 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:16,239 Speaker 1: to and partied like it was well. They also came 464 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 1: out with an anatomical mapping technology that gave people their 465 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: doctors more uh more vision into what where the locations 466 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:30,480 Speaker 1: of disease were. And they were they first, according to 467 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 1: g E, to introduce full field digital momography in two thousand, Um, 468 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: they also started doing a lot of e business. Uh 469 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: they were making more than two billion in business, and 470 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 1: they opened our global research center in Bangalore in India, 471 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: So they were you know, really opening it up to uh, 472 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,800 Speaker 1: you know, becoming a real global company where they had 473 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: other units in in other countries like that. And then 474 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: in two thousand they had a power plant on wheels. 475 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 1: I saw that it was like a truck trailer truck. However, 476 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: the TM could produce twenty two point eight megatre yeah 477 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 1: mega watts. UM was the largest gas largest mobile gas 478 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: turbine generator set available and can be shipped via land 479 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: or sea. It only takes days to set up. However, 480 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: it could be very useful if you need a portable generator. 481 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: I mean you think about like disasters. For example, Hurricane 482 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: Katrina when it hit New Orleans, there were entire huge 483 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: sections of that region that were without power. So these 484 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 1: sort of of advances are very important for those kind 485 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: of events, and not just those as well, but there 486 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: are others. But yeah, for disaster relief, this would be phenomenal. Um. 487 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: The two thousands, I would say, are are characterized in 488 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: GS history with a lot of medical advances well, and 489 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: I should also say before we jump into that two 490 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: thousand was so the Centennial for Ges Research and Development Division. 491 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 1: They had formed that nine. By two thousand, g S 492 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: R and D Division held or had had been awarded 493 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:19,479 Speaker 1: sixty seven thousand, five hundred eighty eight patents. That is phenomenal. Now, granted, 494 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: keep in mind, patents really only protect a a process 495 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 1: or a technology for a limited amount of times, so 496 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: not all of those patents were active. It's not like 497 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 1: the E could sue you for making another light bulb 498 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: because that patent has expired decades ago. Patents tend to 499 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: last either fourteen or seventeen years, depending on the type 500 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: of patent. But anyway, I just wanted to mention that. 501 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: And also in two thousand one we had another change. 502 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:50,080 Speaker 1: In fact, the Welch leaves in two thousand one and 503 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 1: Jeffrey R. Emilt becomes chairman and CEO of g E. 504 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:59,240 Speaker 1: He's the current head. Yes, you're just staring at me smugly. Yes, 505 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: I just happened to have been affected by that change, 506 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 1: were you. Yes, what happened? Well? And my my previous employer, Yes, 507 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 1: I worked for the Home Depot on their website, I 508 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 1: worked there during the years that Robert Nardelli um was 509 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 1: the CEO of the company. Nardelli and Emilts were in 510 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 1: competition for Welch's job. So I just sort of smirked 511 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: because go and see this stuff touched me and I 512 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 1: you know, you wouldn't have thought it would. Two thousand 513 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 1: one also marked an effort with GE trying to merge 514 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: with another company, a company they had a history with, 515 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 1: a little company called Honeywell. I s so Honeywell, you 516 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: know that was the company they sold their computer division 517 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:45,479 Speaker 1: two back in nineteen seventy one, I think. So they 518 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:47,719 Speaker 1: tried to merge with Honeywell, and they were even approved 519 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 1: by the United States Department of Justice and eleven other entities, 520 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: but they encountered a tiny little problem at the European Union. 521 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 1: Really yeah, they said that this is violating some antitrust laws, 522 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: and so the merger was blocked. So it was one 523 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 1: of those major events that really kind of opened everyone's 524 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: eyes to we are a global entity. Now. It's no 525 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 1: longer companies with working within the confines of a single country, 526 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: because now you're talking about how, uh, almost all the 527 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: world can approve of something, and one part of the 528 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 1: world can say no, No, that violates this law and 529 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: that will block it. The merger is up and it's blocked. Yeah. 530 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 1: I mean it was a big deal because it looked 531 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 1: like it was going to go through until the European 532 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 1: Union came in and said no, we won't allow this 533 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 1: to happen. And uh, I mean that's a was a 534 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 1: multibillion dollar deal that fell through. Yeah, that's amazingly huge. Uh. One. 535 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: One thing, Um, there were several different imaging systems and 536 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: other things that were introduced, and you know, touch on 537 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: a few of those because there are tons of them 538 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: in the two thousands. Yes, um, But they did one 539 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: of the things that I thought was interesting in two 540 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: thousand before we get too far ahead, was they g 541 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 1: developed the first diagnostic agent for objectively identifying Parkinson's um 542 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 1: called dat scan, which basically is a liquid that they 543 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: used to show the contrast between healthy and affected parts 544 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,320 Speaker 1: of the brain. So they weren't just developing the systems, 545 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 1: they were also developing the agents that help those systems 546 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: work made it more effective. Also, before we leave two 547 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 1: thousand one, I find it kind of funny because uh, 548 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 1: after all this GEH invents a new kind of incandescent 549 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 1: lightbulb the reveal, which if you look at them, they're 550 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 1: kind of blue bluish color if you live in a 551 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: country where they still sell incandescent lightbulbs as we do. Um. 552 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 1: And they also changed the way that compact fluorescent lights, 553 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 1: or as we call them in my house, curly bulbs, 554 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,959 Speaker 1: um are because they redesigned the geometry the way that 555 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: the tube itself is shaped, so that it would be 556 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 1: more compact and fit in places where a traditional uh, 557 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 1: incandescent bulb would fit, which is helpful for those of 558 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 1: us who have like fixtures that were made for incandescent bulbs, 559 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: but we don't want to replace the entire lighting system, right. UM. 560 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 1: And that's you know, again useful because it helps speed 561 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:20,439 Speaker 1: the adoption of that technology, which is a more energy 562 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:24,279 Speaker 1: efficient technology. Um. They were in space again working on 563 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 1: the International Space Station in two thousand two. Um. They also, Uh, 564 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 1: did you talk about the four D imaging that the 565 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: ge vlissann thirty? Yeah, No I didn't. It's kind of neat, Yeah, 566 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:39,840 Speaker 1: they talked. So in two thousand two they introduced this 567 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: this technology mainly for ultrasounds, which allowed physicians to actually 568 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,840 Speaker 1: view three D images and an ultrasound live what was happening. 569 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: So it was rendering live three D images, which is 570 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: a big deal and it helps a lot when you're 571 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: trying to to diagnose potential problems or just look at 572 00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 1: the general health of of a of a patient. So yeah, 573 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:03,759 Speaker 1: that was I thought that was pretty cool. I also 574 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,560 Speaker 1: thought it was neat in two thousand three how they 575 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 1: introduce something that is just now starting to really get 576 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:14,840 Speaker 1: a little more traction, which is this idea of having 577 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 1: appliances that talk to each other. Yes, the profile harmony 578 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:23,800 Speaker 1: closed care system, which you know is marketing jargon, um 579 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:25,920 Speaker 1: but yeah, basically, it's a washer and dryer that that 580 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:30,839 Speaker 1: talked to one another theoretically to um enable better care 581 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: of your clothes. So, for example, if you set your 582 00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: washer to wash things that are designed for permanent press, 583 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 1: it would communicate that to the dryer so that the 584 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: settings would already be there when you transfer the the 585 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 1: items from washer to dryer, so that it uses the 586 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 1: right amount of temperature and the right duration to get 587 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:53,720 Speaker 1: your your clothes dry without damaging them. That's the idea 588 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 1: behind it. Now today we're talking about appliances that have 589 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:01,879 Speaker 1: even greater ability to uh send information back and forth 590 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 1: between each other and try and personalize your experience to 591 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:07,840 Speaker 1: a higher degree. But it was this sort of stuff 592 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,160 Speaker 1: back in two thousand three. That's kind of the building 593 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:12,359 Speaker 1: the foundation for that. Actually, it's funny you would mention 594 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:15,120 Speaker 1: degrees because I was going to mention the TI vecton 595 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,480 Speaker 1: uh G E profile ovens that combine thermal convection and 596 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,799 Speaker 1: microwave technology is not if I'm not mistaken, and I 597 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 1: didn't watch a lot of thirty Rock, but I think 598 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 1: this is one of the specific technologies that he was 599 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:31,160 Speaker 1: supposed to have come up with. And UH, I think 600 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,839 Speaker 1: it also could transform into a dangerous robot that could 601 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:37,360 Speaker 1: reek havoc across the city. Well, it is supposed to 602 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:42,000 Speaker 1: speed up your cooking time. UM, let's see. UH. Two 603 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:44,279 Speaker 1: thousand three, they came up with the H system, which 604 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:47,600 Speaker 1: is the first the jet combined cycle system that UH 605 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:53,040 Speaker 1: and the first that can do better than six efficiency UM. 606 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:57,560 Speaker 1: And UM the very wise, very wise trucking system using 607 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: satellite and cellular telematics to track trucks. But sort of 608 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:03,600 Speaker 1: like the UH the technology that we're using in the warehouses, 609 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: a simplicity from earlier. Yeah, they once they found systems 610 00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:11,400 Speaker 1: that work, they began to look at ways to apply 611 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 1: that across other industries, which you know, that's that's a 612 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: viable approach. So yeah, again another one those ways of 613 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 1: looking at supply chains. Well, the Centricity was a medical 614 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:26,280 Speaker 1: systems release that they worked into the Indiana Heart Hospital, 615 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:28,960 Speaker 1: and it was a way to uh use digital patient 616 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 1: records data and medical images and basically anybody who was 617 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:35,240 Speaker 1: in the hospital, you know, the on the random people 618 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:37,800 Speaker 1: could come in and look no doctors and and medical 619 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,000 Speaker 1: personnel at the hospital could check from wherever they were 620 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:44,000 Speaker 1: and see how a patient was doing. Um. So I 621 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:47,759 Speaker 1: mean it's those things are all very similar. Yep. Uh. 622 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:50,880 Speaker 1: Skipping ahead a little bit to two thousand four, Uh, 623 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 1: they developed a couple of interesting technologies. There was one 624 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 1: called street Lab, which was you know, a sort of 625 00:37:56,600 --> 00:38:00,840 Speaker 1: a portable a portable lab that could uh analyze and 626 00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:04,799 Speaker 1: identify materials like powders, pills, liquids. So this is sort 627 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,439 Speaker 1: of the stuff that law enforcement or military officials would 628 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:13,120 Speaker 1: need in order to to identify potentially hazardous or illegal materials. Uh. 629 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:18,240 Speaker 1: They also demonstrated that oh, lead technology could be used 630 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:21,759 Speaker 1: in lighting applications, which you know that's again you know 631 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 1: We're talked about a few times about how they have, UM, 632 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: how the company has has pushed lighting technology, UH, going 633 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 1: beyond just the incandescent bolved which formed the very foundation 634 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 1: of g S business way back in the day. Uh, 635 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,480 Speaker 1: they've looked at fluorescence and L E ED and O 636 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:42,280 Speaker 1: L e D technology as as ways to light areas 637 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:45,279 Speaker 1: in your home. Yeah. In two thousand four, UM, they 638 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:49,239 Speaker 1: found a new uh application for that plastic that the 639 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:54,600 Speaker 1: company invented on accident. Lexan UM the illuminates films, basically 640 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:58,520 Speaker 1: something that would interest tech stuff fans. Um. They used 641 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 1: them films like this in uh L L c D 642 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 1: screens UM to give them a more evenly lit surface. 643 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:10,520 Speaker 1: So UM, you know they used the hard plastic as 644 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 1: a very thin film, uh, basically in the guts of 645 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:16,560 Speaker 1: the screen to do that. And then I didn't mention that. 646 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:20,680 Speaker 1: In two thousand again Lexan shows up SLX. They use 647 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:25,120 Speaker 1: a color infused plastic that they were using on car. 648 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:27,200 Speaker 1: So they're they're finding new ways to use this plastic 649 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:29,799 Speaker 1: and very thin sheets. Uh. They can be used for 650 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:37,280 Speaker 1: these different different applications. UM. Let's see, UM go ahead. 651 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:39,520 Speaker 1: I was gonna say g Healthcare again with the high 652 00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:43,759 Speaker 1: deaf magnetic resonance systems. This is two five. This is 653 00:39:43,760 --> 00:39:46,879 Speaker 1: where they were able to increase the resolution on those 654 00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:50,279 Speaker 1: m r I scans so that doctors could get an 655 00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:53,560 Speaker 1: even better look at what's going on in that soft tissue. Yeah, 656 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:56,040 Speaker 1: and and and apparently according to g E, this is 657 00:39:56,120 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 1: very useful for kids and people with Parkinson's disease because, UM, 658 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:04,360 Speaker 1: this particular type of machine, this high definition machine is 659 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:06,920 Speaker 1: better at capturing people who can't hold still. If you've 660 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:10,120 Speaker 1: never had an m r I done, Um, you're supposed 661 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:13,799 Speaker 1: to be perfectly still for quite a whi while it 662 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:16,359 Speaker 1: depends on what they're doing, but it generally it could 663 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:20,240 Speaker 1: be anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. 664 00:40:20,280 --> 00:40:24,040 Speaker 1: And you hear this loud knocking noise or a buzzing 665 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:27,200 Speaker 1: as I did they do give you the warning? People, 666 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:29,319 Speaker 1: they gave you headphones, right, they gave me headphones, but 667 00:40:29,320 --> 00:40:33,239 Speaker 1: I could hear through them. Um. So yeah, so this 668 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:37,040 Speaker 1: is this is a benefit for for doctors because they 669 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:41,239 Speaker 1: don't need you to be quite so still. Um. They 670 00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:44,960 Speaker 1: were in lighting again two thousand seven. They came out 671 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:48,320 Speaker 1: with a vo Or vo v I O high power 672 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:52,560 Speaker 1: white led and this is UM this is moving towards 673 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:57,799 Speaker 1: using these for UH lighting in buildings. Um. They used 674 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:02,640 Speaker 1: a proprietary technology to do UH to do a hundred 675 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:06,440 Speaker 1: kelvin color shift less than a hundred kelvin's over fifty 676 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:12,080 Speaker 1: thousand hours. That's a big step up from Edison's bamboo 677 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:15,560 Speaker 1: filament light bulb of you know, a few hundred hours. 678 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:19,759 Speaker 1: That same year they created the cylinder gas engine. They 679 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:23,000 Speaker 1: also created did you see the hybrid locomotive. Yes, that's 680 00:41:23,000 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 1: actually pretty cool. Well, it uses a regenerative breaking process 681 00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:28,320 Speaker 1: and so you know they use this in cars to 682 00:41:28,440 --> 00:41:31,279 Speaker 1: when they're breaking, the train is storing up energy that 683 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:34,719 Speaker 1: it can be used to power the locomotive, and it 684 00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:38,960 Speaker 1: cuts fuel use by up yeah, and emissions up to 685 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:42,440 Speaker 1: So that's that's significant. You know. It may not be 686 00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:46,360 Speaker 1: as dramatic as one would hope, but that's every little 687 00:41:46,360 --> 00:41:49,279 Speaker 1: bit helps well. And and trains are used so much 688 00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:51,800 Speaker 1: still around the world. Yes, I should try to all 689 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:56,240 Speaker 1: about that. My house is right across from some train tracks, 690 00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:59,400 Speaker 1: so I get to hear it every day. I can't 691 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:04,280 Speaker 1: tell what animally made these those are train tracks. Um, 692 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:06,840 Speaker 1: let's see, Oh yeah they were. Um well, I was 693 00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:09,879 Speaker 1: gonna say in uh uh not to jump too far ahead. 694 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:13,759 Speaker 1: Two thousand eight Virgin Atlantic with Richard Branson. One of 695 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:18,000 Speaker 1: their jet engines used biofuel from a jaunt over in 696 00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:21,640 Speaker 1: UH in Europe from Heathrow in in London to Amsterdam. 697 00:42:21,719 --> 00:42:25,040 Speaker 1: They used coconut and barbassos oil. H And that's just 698 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:26,840 Speaker 1: one of those engines. They they wanted to try it 699 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:29,520 Speaker 1: out so and it worked. And that same year they 700 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:36,680 Speaker 1: labs at GE created a super hydrophobic nanocoating. So hydrophobic 701 00:42:36,719 --> 00:42:39,520 Speaker 1: means that it repels water. It does not. It does 702 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:42,839 Speaker 1: not like hydrophilic would mean it clings the water. Hydrophobic 703 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:47,040 Speaker 1: means it repels. So why would you want a hydrophobic coating, Well, 704 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:50,800 Speaker 1: it could be really useful for a coating on things 705 00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:54,880 Speaker 1: like jet engines. When you're traveling at altitudes where normally 706 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:57,680 Speaker 1: ice could form on different components. If you have a 707 00:42:57,800 --> 00:43:01,800 Speaker 1: hydrophobic coating on top of your equipment, then it helps 708 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:06,040 Speaker 1: prevent that ice formation. Very important, yes, yes, especially for 709 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:09,600 Speaker 1: things like jet engines, and also keeps UH dirt build 710 00:43:09,680 --> 00:43:12,480 Speaker 1: up to a minimum as well, because if it has 711 00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:15,759 Speaker 1: less moisture than that, you know, the moisture will cause 712 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:17,880 Speaker 1: the dirt clump what's irritating is when you try and 713 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:22,279 Speaker 1: wash the vehicle, the sponge soaked with water will just 714 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:24,919 Speaker 1: jump literally out of your hand and fly fifteen feet 715 00:43:24,960 --> 00:43:30,520 Speaker 1: across the tarmac. So in two thousand eight printed they 716 00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:33,879 Speaker 1: they've managed to come up with a way to print Yeah, 717 00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:36,560 Speaker 1: this is a lead sheets mainly for lighting. Uh. They're 718 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:39,560 Speaker 1: not printing display in the sense of like, you know, 719 00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:41,839 Speaker 1: I need a seventeen inch display, let me print one up. 720 00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:44,040 Speaker 1: It's more like printing up these old leads that are 721 00:43:44,200 --> 00:43:47,879 Speaker 1: meant to just be lights. But yeah, they were using 722 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:52,359 Speaker 1: technology that was essentially based on newspaper printing tech, which 723 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:54,280 Speaker 1: is kind of cool. They just, you know, took this 724 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:57,600 Speaker 1: this old technology for printing newspapers and found a way 725 00:43:57,640 --> 00:44:00,640 Speaker 1: to retool it so that they could print sheets of 726 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:04,640 Speaker 1: oh lads, Yes, which is nice considering the state of 727 00:44:04,719 --> 00:44:08,600 Speaker 1: the printing industry. Hopefully some of those can be repurposed. 728 00:44:09,719 --> 00:44:13,200 Speaker 1: Speaking as a former newspaper reporter, Um, they and two 729 00:44:13,120 --> 00:44:15,640 Speaker 1: thou found that for the Mars Observer, Yes, it was 730 00:44:16,600 --> 00:44:19,239 Speaker 1: explains a lot. Um two thousand nine, they found a 731 00:44:19,280 --> 00:44:23,759 Speaker 1: way to save five gigabytes on a single DVD sized disc. Yeah, 732 00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:26,960 Speaker 1: if you want to know how significant. That is, if 733 00:44:26,960 --> 00:44:29,440 Speaker 1: you were to have a dual side of DVD with 734 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:34,040 Speaker 1: four layers of storage, you can hold maybe around seventeen 735 00:44:34,080 --> 00:44:39,160 Speaker 1: gigs of info. So using the same sized, uh medium, 736 00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:41,839 Speaker 1: keep in mind this is a DVD sized disc, it's 737 00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:45,200 Speaker 1: not a DVD itself. Using this holographic storage, you could 738 00:44:45,239 --> 00:44:50,120 Speaker 1: store five hundred gigs of data. Now you know that 739 00:44:50,280 --> 00:44:53,280 Speaker 1: is has a huge improvement. Of course, we are moving 740 00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:57,720 Speaker 1: towards a solid state kind of approach where optical media 741 00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:01,520 Speaker 1: are less important for most of us. Uh So, in 742 00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:05,680 Speaker 1: a way, holographic storage may not become a big deal, 743 00:45:06,160 --> 00:45:10,000 Speaker 1: but still pretty impressive. Yeah, yeah, um. They also came 744 00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:15,120 Speaker 1: up with smaller ultrasound devices. There's one that's uh the 745 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:17,960 Speaker 1: Venue forty, which is sort of a tablet size, and 746 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:20,279 Speaker 1: there's another called v scan, which is pocket size. And 747 00:45:20,280 --> 00:45:22,239 Speaker 1: this is this is good for for two reasons. I mean, 748 00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:24,000 Speaker 1: you would imagine that it would be nice to be 749 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:25,879 Speaker 1: able to carry this around without having a wheel around 750 00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:29,680 Speaker 1: a cart, uh as as I've seen in some places. 751 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:33,080 Speaker 1: I imagine it would also be very useful in places 752 00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:39,160 Speaker 1: where medical equipment is more dear, places where uh it 753 00:45:39,239 --> 00:45:42,400 Speaker 1: might be hard to get medical equipment of that nature 754 00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:47,680 Speaker 1: in or out UM. So having these portable devices UM 755 00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:50,600 Speaker 1: would be easier for doctors to come in to an 756 00:45:50,680 --> 00:45:55,640 Speaker 1: isolated area and help diagnose and treat patients. Yeah, they are. 757 00:45:55,719 --> 00:45:58,680 Speaker 1: They were. Also they started to to work on or 758 00:45:58,719 --> 00:46:02,440 Speaker 1: continue to actually to work on creating ways to sequence 759 00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:06,239 Speaker 1: d N a faster UM to make that on the 760 00:46:06,239 --> 00:46:08,960 Speaker 1: whole DNA sequencing. Of course, we've we figured out how 761 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:10,640 Speaker 1: to do it. It's just a question of creating the 762 00:46:11,080 --> 00:46:13,840 Speaker 1: getting it more efficient and more so we can do 763 00:46:13,880 --> 00:46:19,040 Speaker 1: it more quickly. But also they developed some interesting wearable 764 00:46:19,320 --> 00:46:24,759 Speaker 1: sensors I like them designed to test the air for toxins. 765 00:46:25,320 --> 00:46:27,160 Speaker 1: So this would be something that you could put on 766 00:46:27,239 --> 00:46:31,560 Speaker 1: a uniform or other piece of clothing to help indicate 767 00:46:31,600 --> 00:46:35,320 Speaker 1: when things are going bad, you need to get the 768 00:46:35,360 --> 00:46:37,319 Speaker 1: heck out of that area. Yeah, it would be like 769 00:46:37,440 --> 00:46:40,040 Speaker 1: more insensitive than a canary. Yes, you could wear it 770 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:42,759 Speaker 1: on a badge on your your uniform or or your 771 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:44,480 Speaker 1: coveralls or whatever it is. And if you were an 772 00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:49,120 Speaker 1: environment where they were toxins, president it would change color 773 00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:51,160 Speaker 1: or or give you some other sort of notice to 774 00:46:51,239 --> 00:46:54,840 Speaker 1: let you know that it's time to go. UM energy 775 00:46:54,840 --> 00:46:59,480 Speaker 1: smart led bulbs can't end UM so this is this 776 00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:02,520 Speaker 1: is really impressive. These smart LED bulbs that g has 777 00:47:02,600 --> 00:47:08,919 Speaker 1: created are more efficient than incandescent bulbs. They use other words, 778 00:47:08,960 --> 00:47:11,920 Speaker 1: they use seventy seven percent less energy uh, and they 779 00:47:11,920 --> 00:47:15,960 Speaker 1: can last up to twenty two years under normal use conditions. 780 00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:19,799 Speaker 1: So think about that, you buy these light bulbs for 781 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:23,080 Speaker 1: your house and you don't have to replace them for 782 00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:27,359 Speaker 1: twenty two years. I want me some of these. Yeah, 783 00:47:27,360 --> 00:47:31,600 Speaker 1: they're kind of expensive at this time. However, I imagine 784 00:47:31,600 --> 00:47:35,040 Speaker 1: that you if you amortize that cost over twenty two years, 785 00:47:35,080 --> 00:47:37,440 Speaker 1: it probably evens out somewhat. And you also have to 786 00:47:37,480 --> 00:47:40,920 Speaker 1: think if these are LED bulbs, they have distinct advantages 787 00:47:40,960 --> 00:47:44,000 Speaker 1: over fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulb is one of the big 788 00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:47,200 Speaker 1: disadvantages is that there are some very there's some very 789 00:47:47,239 --> 00:47:52,719 Speaker 1: toxic materials inside fluorescent bulbs. Y. Yeah, if you if 790 00:47:52,760 --> 00:47:55,880 Speaker 1: you if you were to break one, uh, then you 791 00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:59,879 Speaker 1: could potentially expose yourself to very dangerous toxic materials. So 792 00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:04,239 Speaker 1: led bulbs they don't have that same problem. So there's 793 00:48:04,239 --> 00:48:06,760 Speaker 1: that advantage as well. So you're like, well, it's more efficient, 794 00:48:07,120 --> 00:48:09,520 Speaker 1: I don't have to buy them as frequently, and it's 795 00:48:09,560 --> 00:48:11,960 Speaker 1: not gonna kill me if I break one, Yeah, I 796 00:48:12,080 --> 00:48:14,719 Speaker 1: might kill my wallet where I think, Oh, I spent 797 00:48:14,840 --> 00:48:16,759 Speaker 1: so much money on that bulb and I just broke it. 798 00:48:17,280 --> 00:48:20,239 Speaker 1: But it's not gonna it's not gonna poison you. I'm 799 00:48:20,239 --> 00:48:22,719 Speaker 1: feeling like I have to make this joke. So thank 800 00:48:22,760 --> 00:48:25,880 Speaker 1: you Gee for saving us front by inventing this, uh 801 00:48:25,920 --> 00:48:28,880 Speaker 1: this product that say so much better than the old 802 00:48:28,920 --> 00:48:33,279 Speaker 1: product invented by g Yeah. Um, anyway, you brought a 803 00:48:33,280 --> 00:48:36,360 Speaker 1: good thing to life. Um. Yeah. They also are working 804 00:48:36,360 --> 00:48:39,400 Speaker 1: on other ways to save energy, such as, uh the 805 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:44,759 Speaker 1: Watt station, which is advice for charging electric vehicles on 806 00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:48,279 Speaker 1: home or at the or on the road. Not on 807 00:48:48,360 --> 00:48:50,520 Speaker 1: the road, but yeah, I mean they could be uh 808 00:48:50,840 --> 00:48:54,880 Speaker 1: stationed delta stationed elsewhere than your house. Um. And uh 809 00:48:55,160 --> 00:48:58,800 Speaker 1: they've been working on ways to network um smart meters 810 00:48:58,800 --> 00:49:01,799 Speaker 1: and give you an idea of how much energy you're using. Yeah. 811 00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:04,920 Speaker 1: They have a Nucleus Energy Manager which has these these 812 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:08,360 Speaker 1: little they look like adapters almost for a plug, and 813 00:49:08,400 --> 00:49:11,120 Speaker 1: then you plug your appliance into that and you plug 814 00:49:11,200 --> 00:49:13,200 Speaker 1: that into the wall and it helps communicate with the 815 00:49:13,239 --> 00:49:16,239 Speaker 1: smart meter how much energy each appliance is drawing when 816 00:49:16,280 --> 00:49:20,080 Speaker 1: it's drawing it. It's really an idea that lets you 817 00:49:21,000 --> 00:49:25,560 Speaker 1: ultimately micromanage what your appliances are doing when and and 818 00:49:25,640 --> 00:49:29,040 Speaker 1: trying to make it as efficient and cost effective system 819 00:49:29,080 --> 00:49:32,040 Speaker 1: as possible, so that way you're not just spending money 820 00:49:32,560 --> 00:49:36,800 Speaker 1: keeping something active when it doesn't need to be. And um, 821 00:49:37,000 --> 00:49:40,279 Speaker 1: that gets us within the last couple of years. Um. 822 00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:46,680 Speaker 1: But it really shows how amazing, what an amazing, amazing 823 00:49:46,800 --> 00:49:50,000 Speaker 1: hundred slightly more years it's been for this company. I 824 00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:53,520 Speaker 1: mean they really came around at the time when electricity 825 00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:57,680 Speaker 1: was becoming a household uh necessity. I mean they kind 826 00:49:57,680 --> 00:49:59,880 Speaker 1: of made it a necessity because all of a sudden 827 00:50:00,160 --> 00:50:02,960 Speaker 1: gone from uh, hey, wouldn't it be cool if we 828 00:50:03,000 --> 00:50:06,680 Speaker 1: had electric lighting in our house too? You know, they've 829 00:50:06,719 --> 00:50:10,160 Speaker 1: they've made all these products that make our lives uh 830 00:50:10,200 --> 00:50:13,680 Speaker 1: so much easier and we've grown accustomed to and uh 831 00:50:13,719 --> 00:50:16,360 Speaker 1: in some cases need especially with a medical talking about 832 00:50:16,360 --> 00:50:19,320 Speaker 1: medical equipment, where it's made such a difference in our lives. 833 00:50:19,719 --> 00:50:23,680 Speaker 1: And I can't imagine that that Thompson and and Edison 834 00:50:23,719 --> 00:50:27,920 Speaker 1: and Houston looking back on it, at the advancements their 835 00:50:27,960 --> 00:50:31,080 Speaker 1: company has made in that time. I mean going from 836 00:50:31,200 --> 00:50:34,040 Speaker 1: Edison's days of you know, a few hundred hours to 837 00:50:34,480 --> 00:50:39,759 Speaker 1: a bulb that will last twenty two years under normal conditions. Um, 838 00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:42,839 Speaker 1: it's it's it's just phenomenal. Really, yeah, it really is, 839 00:50:42,920 --> 00:50:45,480 Speaker 1: it really is. And you know, we're continuing to see 840 00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:49,400 Speaker 1: innovations from g E H. I'm sure the company will 841 00:50:49,880 --> 00:50:56,040 Speaker 1: will push for being a leader in things like energy efficiency, uh, 842 00:50:56,040 --> 00:50:58,839 Speaker 1: in lighting and that sort of stuff. I would be 843 00:50:59,000 --> 00:51:03,120 Speaker 1: shocked to see them. I see what you did to 844 00:51:03,160 --> 00:51:06,480 Speaker 1: get away from that. Um. So yeah, it's this is 845 00:51:06,520 --> 00:51:10,880 Speaker 1: a definitely an interesting company with a very interesting past. Uh. 846 00:51:10,920 --> 00:51:14,279 Speaker 1: And you know it's it'll be I'm excited to see 847 00:51:14,320 --> 00:51:17,720 Speaker 1: what happens in the future with it, especially uh, knowing 848 00:51:17,800 --> 00:51:21,839 Speaker 1: how they do spend so much money and time in 849 00:51:22,239 --> 00:51:26,239 Speaker 1: in research pure research that it's always a benefit. I mean, 850 00:51:26,520 --> 00:51:28,560 Speaker 1: of course, I love to learn and I love finding 851 00:51:28,560 --> 00:51:30,560 Speaker 1: out new things. So it's always cool when I see 852 00:51:30,600 --> 00:51:33,520 Speaker 1: a company that's dedicated to that sort of stuff. Again, 853 00:51:33,560 --> 00:51:37,080 Speaker 1: even if it's not truly altruistic, Uh, it ends up 854 00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:40,240 Speaker 1: benefiting us in ways that no one could have anticipated. 855 00:51:40,560 --> 00:51:43,520 Speaker 1: So I'm all for it. Yeah, And it's it's always 856 00:51:43,520 --> 00:51:45,839 Speaker 1: fun for us to dig into these companies and their 857 00:51:45,880 --> 00:51:49,560 Speaker 1: pasts too, I think because we find out things about 858 00:51:49,560 --> 00:51:53,040 Speaker 1: the company that we didn't know before come and products 859 00:51:53,040 --> 00:51:56,279 Speaker 1: and services they are involved in or were involved in. 860 00:51:56,880 --> 00:51:58,759 Speaker 1: Looking at IBM and some of the companies that I 861 00:51:58,960 --> 00:52:02,120 Speaker 1: that they rolled off and became huge in their own right. 862 00:52:02,320 --> 00:52:04,640 Speaker 1: This this is just one of those fascinating things that 863 00:52:04,680 --> 00:52:07,359 Speaker 1: we discover. We dig into these, and I've enjoyed doing these. 864 00:52:07,520 --> 00:52:09,720 Speaker 1: Yes so I So, if you guys have a company 865 00:52:09,800 --> 00:52:12,520 Speaker 1: you think that we should focus on, let us know. 866 00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:15,040 Speaker 1: Or if there's any other topic you would like us 867 00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:17,160 Speaker 1: to cover, or in a particular person you would like 868 00:52:17,239 --> 00:52:20,800 Speaker 1: us to interview, give us a shout, but don't actually 869 00:52:20,880 --> 00:52:23,600 Speaker 1: just shout it, because chances are we won't hear you. Instead, 870 00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:26,080 Speaker 1: why don't you send us an email Our addresses tech 871 00:52:26,120 --> 00:52:29,399 Speaker 1: stuff at Discovery dot com or track us down on 872 00:52:29,440 --> 00:52:32,600 Speaker 1: Facebook or Twitter. Our handle at both of those is 873 00:52:32,840 --> 00:52:36,439 Speaker 1: tech Stuff hs W and Chris and I will talk 874 00:52:36,440 --> 00:52:41,120 Speaker 1: to you again really soon. Be sure to check out 875 00:52:41,160 --> 00:52:44,319 Speaker 1: our new video podcast, Stuff from the Future. Join how 876 00:52:44,360 --> 00:52:46,880 Speaker 1: Stuff Work staff as we explore the most promising and 877 00:52:46,960 --> 00:52:51,399 Speaker 1: perplexing possibilities us tomorrow The House Stuff Works I fine 878 00:52:51,440 --> 00:52:59,239 Speaker 1: app has arrived. Download it today on iTunes. Brought to 879 00:52:59,280 --> 00:53:02,360 Speaker 1: you by the rein into two thousand twelve camera, it's ready. 880 00:53:02,560 --> 00:53:03,280 Speaker 1: Are you