Did Hertz underestimate the practical applications of his work?
Some have suggested that I did not foresee the profound practical implications of my discoveries. My focus was primarily on the fundamental principles of electromagnetism and confirming Maxwell's theory. The experiments were designed to reveal the underlying physics, not to engineer specific technologies. While I recognized the existence of these waves and their wave-like nature, the intricate engineering and widespread applications, such as wireless telegraphy and broadcasting, were developments that emerged from the foundation I helped to lay. The evidence, as it stood, led us to conclude the existence and properties, but the vast technological edifice was yet to be built.
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