How did the threat scale addressed by the AEC differ fundamentally from the goal of John Wesley Hyatt's initial device?
Answer
Hyatt focused on large, visible smoke particles; the AEC focused on invisible, sub-micron radioactive particulates.
Hyatt's goal implied removing large, visible particles (soot), whereas the AEC's purification need was driven by invisible threats—radioactive particulates so small they required a technical redefinition of clean air.
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