While Edison was a brilliant inventor, he was skeptical of theoretical physics and often preferred to focus on practical applications. He dismissed Maxwell's equations and the concept of electromagnetic waves as "mere mathematical exercises."
Even after Heinrich Hertz experimentally proved the existence of electromagnetic waves in 1887, Edison remained unconvinced. He continued to believe that electricity flowed through wires like water through pipes, and that wireless transmission was impossible.
This skepticism ultimately hindered Edison's progress in radio technology, which was rapidly developing in the early 20th century. While he did conduct some experiments with wireless telegraphy, he never fully embraced the potential of electromagnetic waves.
