Regarding James O’Neal’s great article about Gary L. Frost’s book on the invention and inventor of FM (“Armstrong Wasn’t the Only One,” Sept. 8):
I learned long ago that the history of great inventions and discoveries is replete with silent or uncredited inventors and discoverers. It’s the nature of human culture to want to single out an individual. Why that is, of course, I do not know.
Maxwell probably was not the only one, nor the first, to describe electromagnetic radiation. The same can be said of Einstein and his findings (though to his credit he did acknowledge some others on whose work he expanded).
Often, deserved credit goes to those who are willing to give light to unproven theories. Timing and luck (and, often, capitalistic chutzpah) also are factors.
Congratulations on a great article putting history in proper perspective.
George Woodard
McKinney, Texas
