At least 2,145 senior-ranking NASA employees are set to leave under a push to shed staff, according to documents obtained by POLITICO — potentially spelling trouble for White House space policy and depriving the agency of decades of experience.
At least 2,145 senior-ranking NASA employees are set to leave under a push to shed staff, according to documents obtained by POLITICO — potentially spelling trouble for White House space policy and depriving the agency of decades of experience.
I was curious so I asked ChatGPT. The answer was surprising…all of them tower over Bell by nearly every financial measure…
Was Any Company Bigger Than Bell at Its Peak?
Short answer: Yes — by some metrics. But Bell was unique.
📡 Bell System at Its Peak
The Bell System (AT&T and its regional Bell companies) was a government-regulated telecom monopoly until its breakup in 1984.
→ ~$220–250B today, inflation-adjusted
→ ~$300–400B today
In short: Bell controlled the entire U.S. telecom backbone and set the pace for global innovation.
🦷 Big Tech Today (as of 2025)
🧠 Influence Comparison
🧾 TL;DR: Is Anyone “Bigger”?
By market value and revenue? ✅ Yes
By number of employees? ✅ Amazon
By influence on infrastructure, science, and policy? ❌ No — Bell was foundational