The sun is setting and it is getting a little difficult to see as darkness falls. Without even thinking I walk over and flip a light switch and I am able to see everything to continue working. Light has become so commonplace I don't even realize how much we rely upon it until it is gone. Power outage, camping, or a quick late-night trip to the bathroom, make me realize how this common item has become integral to our society. Yet this wasn't always the case. Before the common light bulb, people were only able to see in the dark using candles, lanterns, and gas lamps. None of those items produced much light nor were they easy to turn on with the flick of a switch. The light bulb made it possible for people to work after sunset, travel a little safer in the dark, and it eventually led to the invention of the electric power plant. Disruptive technologies change the very way society functions, altering the way people do things, their perceptions, and expectations. The light bulb was a disruptive technology. It has changed society's perceptions so drastically that light at night is considered a common expectation.
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