The Word Café Podcast with Amax

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A sleepless night in the 90s, a BBC documentary, and a mural that wouldn’t let go—this is the spark that powers today’s conversation. We follow that current from a teenager’s curiosity to a sweeping look at how electricity rewired human history, culture, and ambition. Guided by Raoul Dufy’s vast tableau of monuments and machinery, we decode the symbols of progress and the people who carried the charge.

We revisit the origins: Thales and the first static experiments, Gilbert’s careful notes, Franklin’s bold tests, Faraday’s fields, and the equations that gave shape to the unseen. The plot intensifies with Edison and Tesla, the current war that defined long-distance power, and Westinghouse’s bet that made AC the backbone of modern grids. Along the way, we shine a light on Lewis Latimer, whose filament work helped turn a fragile invention into everyday brilliance. This isn’t hero worship; it’s a reminder that real breakthroughs demand teamwork, credit, and grit.

Then we turn the lens to the present and near future. What does “the spirit of electricity” look like when it’s your neighborhood, your workshop, your city’s horizon? We talk Nigeria’s energy reality: intermittent supply, inventive workarounds, and the promise of mini-grids, smart meters, and renewables. We explore how reliable power drives health, education, and jobs, and why policy and public trust matter as much as turbines and transformers. The challenge ahead isn’t just technical—it’s cultural. Can we treat the grid as a shared craft, plan beyond election cycles, and train the talent that keeps the lights honest?

If you felt that first jolt of wonder from a flicker, a lab demo, or a skyline at night, this conversation is your voltage check. Tap play, see the mural through fresh eyes, and help sketch the next chapter of power: resilient, fair, and built to last. If this resonates, subscribe, share it with someone who loves a good origin story, and leave a review so others can find the spark too.

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