Every day, we take for granted the ability to access a virtually unlimited supply of electricity. It keeps our food cold, our homes warm, and our lights on, not to mention a myriad of computers, TVs, cell phones, washing machines, air fryers, and hair dryers. But life hasn’t always been this way — when we look at the grand scale of human history, reliable access to electricity is an infinitesimal blip on the radar. For thousands upon thousands of years, our ancestors lived without it, a fact that sounds almost unimaginable today. As you consider this, it’s easy to jump to an extreme conclusion. “I don’t really need electricity in an emergency situation,” you might think. “It’s nothing but a modern luxury! My great grandparents did fine without it.” No…