Nicola Tesla was a brilliant physicist, mechanical, electrical engineer,
and inventor. He was born under the Austro Hungarian Empire and later
became a United States citizen. He has been considered, “The
Father of Physics” and even credited with, “the man who
invented the twentieth century.” While the mastery of science
came quite naturally to Tesla, he struggled with completing school,
handling stress, and having relationships with his family. He seemed
to live barely inside of everyday reality and experienced visions
that were apparently tied to his ideas. He would envision an idea
in great detail before he would begin its actual creation. He was
so intense that he even suffered a nervous breakdown early in his
career. Telsa was also unconcerned with finances and dedicated himself
instead to his work. He made claims about possible advances that no
one had conceived of exploring. While he can be credited for contributions
that range from electromagnetism, robotics, x-rays, radar technology,
ballistics, and even with inventing radio, he was also seen as a mad
scientist.
When Tesla arrived in the United States, he brought little with him
except a recommendation letter that he submitted to Thomas Edison.
Tesla was a great help to Thomas Edison and was able to solve some
of Edison’s company problems. Edison promised him a raise to
redesign more efficient motors and generators. Telsa did what he knew
to do and threw himself into the work. However, Edison did not keep
his promise when Telsa was finished. Telsa quickly went his own way
and started his own company. Unfortunately, his investors wanted control
of the direction of Telsa’s ideas. Telsa soon found himself
looking for a new job. He landed a job with Westinghouse where they
allowed him to explore one of his ideas about the development of AC
power. He later set up personal labs and conducted experiments including
the transmission of energy without wires. He later conducted artificial
lightening tests and radio tests and claimed he could use them to
communicate with other planets. He even felt he had received signals
that might have been from outer earthly sources. He even felt that
Einstein’s theory of relativity was flawed. Still, Tesla produced
what we now know as the death ray weapon (“peace ray”
to Tesla) which was reportedly seized by the government and said to
be top secret. At the end of his life, Tesla felt that light was a
particle and a wave which was later investigated by quantum physics.
He also believed that using a “light” wall would enable
space, time, and gravity to be used in ideas like teleportation, time
travel, and anti-gravity technology.
Late in his life, Tesla became a vegetarian and felt that plants were
a superior energy source and was concerned with the slaughter of animals
and famine. Tesla was even opposed to war and remained unconcerned
with material wealth when he tore up a contract with Westinghouse
that would have made him a billionaire. He was also concerned that
it would alter the possibility of free power in the future. His rival
Edison also confessed on his death bed that he made a mistake in not
working on the technology that Tesla had advocated. Neither received
a Nobel Prize for their many works at speculations of disgust for
their rivalry. He also created an electric car that would have drastically
changed our dependence on oil and contributed to keeping our environment
cleaner.
Tesla spent the remainder of his life in a hotel suite and died at
age 86. His legacy is unique and astounding. He never married and
it is claimed that he remained celibate through life. Although, he
felt that women would one day be the dominate species. Overall, the
FBI seized over 80 trunks full of scientific research by Telsa. While
he may have seen a very different reality than most, he contributed
to the human race in ways that has greatly advanced science, medicine,
and technology. Tesla was one of the greats and just maybe, it is
we who have fallen short of understanding and appreciating his reality.
Source: Nicola Tesla. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla
on April 15th, 2008.
Source: Nicola Tesla. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla
on April 15th, 2008.
About the author:
Dianne Irene is a published writer and public speaker who has served
as college and industry educator.
All Rights Reserved.
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