You Can Tax It

Michael Faraday was a little nervous as he began discussing what he was working on. The crisply dressed mustachioed man he was speaking with was a representative of the British government, and Faraday needed his help.

He was carrying on the 6th century BCE legacy of Thales of Miletus, who had noticed that when you rubbed animal fur on amber, you could seemingly defy gravity by picking up lighter materials like a feather, and lifting it off the ground.

Those Greeks called amber “elektron.” That’s where we get the name for electricity today. Ancient Egyptians and Romans knew about electric eels and static electricity, but not much else.

The MP (member of parliament) tweaked his mustache. “I say, good sir, how on earth will this study ever produce anything practical? It seems as though you’re only interested in the scientific pursuit of knowledge for its own ends.”

Faraday paused for a moment, then shot back an iconic quote:

“Bruh. You can tax it.”

Okay, this quote probably never happened…