Downplaying Achievements
When you think about it, radio waves are essential in so many fields and industries. From being used in remote-controlled toys to broadcasting radio and television and literally allowing us to make phone calls, modern life would be very different without them. Heck, even air travel would be impossible as both navigation and air traffic control depend on radio waves.
That’s why it’s pretty surprising to see what Heinrich Hertz had to say after he discovered their existence. Perhaps he was just trying to be humble but his statement about his discovery having no practical applications was so wrong. We wonder what he’d have to say if he could see how he has changed our lives forever.