Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was a inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and Atheist. He is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system and wireless internet. (yes,you have power in your house and a wifi signal in your phone because of him)

### Other Name's

* Father of Science
* The Man ahead of its time
* Smarter man on Earth
* Creator of Power
* Son of the Devil (by the Christian priests of the time)

## Links

### Other

* Works
* Museum

# Early Life

Nikola Tesla was born on July 10, 1856, in Smiljan, Austrian Empire. His parents were Milutin Tesla, a Orthodox priest, and Đuka Mandić, a homemaker. Nikola was the fourth of five children in the Tesla family, surrounded by three sisters, Milka, Angelina, and Marica, and an older brother named Dane, who was killed in a horse riding accident when Tesla was aged five.

From an early age, Nikola displayed an insatiable curiosity about the world around him. His inquisitive mind often led him to explore the inner workings of the gadgets and machinery found in his father's home. The Tesla family, while not affluent, valued education, and Nikola's parents recognized his intellectual prowess. They encouraged his early interest in mechanics and engineering, foreshadowing the path that would define his future.

In 1861, Tesla attended primary school in Smiljan where he studied German, arithmetic, and religion. In 1862, the Tesla family moved to the nearby Gospić, where Tesla's father worked as parish priest. Nikola completed primary school, followed by middle school.

# Austria

As Nikola transitioned into adolescence, his intellectual prowess became more evident. In 1875, he embarked on a journey to further cultivate his knowledge by enrolling at the Technical University in Graz, Austria. His departure from the close-knit family in Smiljan marked the beginning of a transformative period in his life.

While at Graz, Tesla immersed himself in his studies, delving into subjects such as mathematics and physics. However, the structured academic environment failed to satiate his unquenchable thirst for understanding the mysteries of the universe. Disenchanted with the traditional education system, Tesla, driven by a desire for practical knowledge, made the bold decision to leave the university before completing his degree. Tesla began studying gambling and women beauty in the town of Maribor, he was working as a draftsman for 60 florins per month.

In March 1879, Milutin located his son and tried to convince him to return home and take up his education in Prague. Tesla returned to Gospić later that month, Tesla's father died the next month, on 17 April 1879, at the age of 60. During the rest of the year Tesla taught a large class of students in his old school in Gospić.

# Societe Electrique Edison

In January 1880, two of Tesla's uncles put together enough money to help him leave Gospić for Prague, where he was to study. He arrived too late to enroll at Charles-Ferdinand University, however, he attended lectures in philosophy at the university as an auditor but he did not receive grades for the courses.

Tesla moved to Budapest in 1881 to work under Tivadar Puskás at a telegraph company, the Budapest Telephone Exchange. Upon arrival, Tesla realized that the company, then under construction, was not functional, so he worked as a draftsman in the Central Telegraph Office instead. Within a few months, the Budapest Telephone Exchange became functional, and Tesla was allocated the chief electrician position. During his employment, Tesla made many improvements to the Central Station equipment and perfected a telephone repeater and amplifier.

In 1882, Tivadar Puskás got Tesla another job in Paris with the Continental Edison Company. Tesla began working at the Société Electrique Edison, the division in the Ivry-sur-Seine suburb of Paris in charge of installing the lighting system. There he gained a great deal of practical experience in electrical engineering. Management took notice of his advanced knowledge in engineering and physics and soon had him designing and building improved versions of generating dynamos and motors.

# DC

In 1884, Nikola Tesla embarked on a journey that would forever shape the landscape of technology. Tesla's arrival in the United States was met with great anticipation. His reputation as a visionary and his profound understanding of electrical engineering had preceded him. Edison, the famed inventor and entrepreneur, recognized the potential in Tesla's genius and wasted no time in harnessing his talent.

As Tesla joined the Edison Machine Works, his task was clear: to enhance the efficiency and performance of direct current (DC) generators and motors. Under Edison's guidance, he delved into the intricate workings of these machines, seeking ways to push the boundaries of what was possible.

But within the vast corridors of the Edison Machine Works, Tesla's vision began to clash with Edison's preference for direct current. Tesla, driven by a belief in the superiority of alternating current (AC), advocated for its adoption, as it offered greater efficiency over long distances. This fundamental disagreement would lay the groundwork for a bitter rivalry that would shape the future of electrical power.

Undeterred by the obstacles before him, Tesla poured his heart and soul into his work. Night after night, he meticulously crafted and refined his designs, pushing the limits of his imagination. His passion for innovation burned bright, fueled by a desire to revolutionize the world of electricity.

As time passed, the chasm between Edison and Tesla widened. Their conflicting ideologies and contrasting personalities strained their working relationship. Tesla's inventive spirit yearned for an opportunity to spread its wings beyond the confines of Edison's domain.

And so, with determination coursing through his veins, Tesla made a daring decision. He bid farewell to the Edison Machine Works and embarked on a new chapter, setting off on a path that would lead him to extraordinary heights.

# Tesla Electric Light and Manufacturing Company

In March 1885, Tesla met with patent attorney Lemuel W. Serrell, the same attorney used by Edison, to obtain help with submitting the patents. Serrell introduced Tesla to two businessmen, Robert Lane and Benjamin Vail, who agreed to finance an arc lighting manufacturing and utility company in Tesla's name, the Tesla Electric Light and Manufacturing Company.

Tesla worked for the rest of the year obtaining the patents that included an improved DC generator, the first patents issued to Tesla in the US, and building and installing the system in Rahway, New Jersey.

The investors showed little interest in Tesla's ideas for new types of alternating current motors and electrical transmission equipment. After the utility was up and running in 1886, they decided that the manufacturing side of the business was too competitive and opted to simply run an electric utility.

They formed a new utility company, abandoning Tesla's company and leaving Tesla penniless, he even lost control of the patents he had generated, since he had assigned them to the company in exchange for stock.

He had to work at various electrical repair jobs and as a ditch digger for $2 per day.

# AC

In late 1886, Tesla met Alfred S. Brown, a Western Union superintendent, and New York attorney Charles Fletcher Peck. Based on Tesla's new ideas for electrical equipment, including a thermo-magnetic motors, they agreed to back the inventor financially and handle his patents.

Together they formed the Tesla Electric Company in April 1887, with an agreement that profits from generated patents would go 1⁄3 to Tesla, 1⁄3 to Peck and Brown, and 1⁄3 to fund development. They set up a laboratory for Tesla at 89 Liberty Street in Manhattan, where he worked on improving and developing new types of electric motors, generators, and other devices.

In 1887, Tesla developed an induction motor that ran on alternating current (AC), a power system format that was later rapidly expanded in Europe and the United States because of its advantages in long-distance, high-voltage transmission. Physicist William Arnold Anthony and Electrical World magazine editor Thomas Commerford Martin arranged for Tesla to demonstrate his AC motor on 16 May 1888 at the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.

Engineers working for the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company reported to George Westinghouse that Tesla had a viable AC motor and related power system. Westinghouse, saw the immense promise of Tesla's AC power system. Recognizing its superiority over Thomas Edison's direct current system, Westinghouse wasted no time in licensing Tesla's patents. A partnership was forged, setting the stage for a remarkable collaboration that would shape the future of electrical power.

# Brilliance

In 1891, Tesla began working the Tesla coil, a remarkable high-voltage transformer that played a crucial role in the production and transmission of AC electricity. The Tesla coil became a symbol of Tesla's brilliance, the true potential of Tesla's AC power system was showcased in 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago.

Tesla's system was selected to illuminate the grand event, serving as a dazzling display of the power and efficiency of AC over Edison's DC system. It was a turning point, solidifying the triumph of alternating current and propelling Tesla into the limelight.

# The Nikola Tesla Company

In 1895, Edward Dean Adams, impressed with what he saw when he toured Tesla's lab, agreed to help found the Nikola Tesla Company, set up to fund, develop, and market a variety of previous Tesla patents and inventions as well as new ones. Alfred Brown signed on, bringing along patents developed under Peck and Brown.

The board was filled out with William Birch Rankine and Charles F. Coaney. It found few investors since the mid-1890s were a tough time financially, and the wireless lighting and oscillators patents it was set up to market never panned out. The company handled Tesla's patents for decades to come.

In the early morning hours of 13 March 1895, Tesla's lab caught fire. It started in the basement of the building and was so intense Tesla's 4th-floor lab burned and collapsed into the second floor. The fire not only set back Tesla's ongoing projects, but it also destroyed a collection of early notes and research material, models, and demonstration pieces, including many that had been exhibited at the 1893 Worlds Colombian Exposition.

Starting in 1894, Tesla began investigating what he referred to as radiant energy of "invisible" kinds after he had noticed damaged film in his laboratory in previous experiments he name as X-rays.

Tesla understood that damage to the skin was not caused by the X- rays, but by the ozone generated in contact with the skin, and to a lesser extent, by nitrous acid. Tesla believed that X-rays were produced by plasma waves and magnetic fields.

On 11 July 1934, Tesla, in an public event made a experiment with his single-electrode vacuum tubes. A minute particle would break off the cathode, pass out of the tube, and physically striked him.

> Tesla said he could feel a sharp stinging pain where it entered his body, and again at the place where it passed out. In comparing these particles with the bits of metal projected by his "electric gun", Tesla said, "The particles in the beam of force ... will travel much faster than such particles ... and they will travel in concentrations".
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# Wireless power

In 1898, Tesla demonstrated a boat that used a coherer-based radio control—which he dubbed "telautomaton"—to the public during an electrical exhibition at Madison Square Garden. Tesla tried to sell his idea to the US military as a type of radio-controlled torpedo, but they showed little interest.

Tesla spent a great deal of his time and fortune on a series of projects trying to develop the transmission of electrical power without wires. It was an expansion of his idea of using coils to transmit power that he had been demonstrating in wireless lighting. He saw this as not only a way to transmit large amounts of power around the world but also, as he had pointed out in his earlier lectures, a way to transmit worldwide communications.

Tesla was working on the idea that he might be able to conduct electricity long distance through the Earth or the atmosphere, and began working on experiments to test this idea including setting up a large resonance transformer magnifying transmitter in his East Houston Street lab. Seeming to borrow from a common idea at the time that the Earth's atmosphere was conductive, he proposed a system composed of balloons suspending, transmitting, and receiving, electrodes in the air above 30,000 feet (9,100 m) in altitude, where he thought the lower pressure would allow him to send high voltages (millions of volts) long distances.

To further study the conductive nature of low-pressure air, Tesla set up an experimental station at high altitude in Colorado Springs during 1899. There he could safely operate much larger coils than in the cramped confines of his New York lab, and an associate had made an arrangement for the El Paso Power Company to supply alternating current free of charge.

To fund his experiments, he convinced John Jacob Astor IV to invest $100,000 ($3,517,600 in today's dollars) to become a majority shareholder in the Nikola Tesla Company. Astor thought he was primarily investing in the new wireless lighting system. Instead, Tesla used the money to fund his Colorado Springs experiments. Upon his arrival, he told reporters that he planned to conduct wireless telegraphy experiments, transmitting signals from Pikes Peak to Paris.

There, he conducted experiments with a large coil operating in the megavolts range, producing lightning consisting of millions of volts and discharges of up to 135 feet (41 m) in length, and, at one point, inadvertently burned out the generator in El Paso, causing a power outage. The observations he made of the electronic noise of lightning strikes led him to conclude that he could use the entire globe of the Earth to conduct electrical energy.

# Aliens

During his time at his laboratory, Tesla observed unusual signals from his receiver which he speculated to be communications from another planet. He mentioned them in a letter to a reporter in December 1899 and to the Red Cross Society in December 1900.

Reporters treated it as a sensational story and jumped to the conclusion Tesla was hearing signals from Mars. He expanded on the signals he heard in a 9 February 1901 *Collier's Weekly* article entitled "Talking With Planets", where he said it had not been immediately apparent to him that he was hearing "intelligently controlled signals" and that the signals could have come from Mars, Venus, or other planets.

Tesla had an agreement with the editor of *The Century Magazine* to produce an article on his findings. The magazine sent a photographer to Colorado to photograph the work being done there. The article, titled "The Problem of Increasing Human Energy", appeared in the June 1900 edition of the magazine. He explained the superiority of the wireless system he envisioned.

# J. P. Morgan

Tesla made the rounds in New York trying to find investors for what he thought would be a viable system of wireless transmission, wining and dining them at the Waldorf-Astoria's Palm Garden, on March 1901, he obtained $150,000 ($5,276,400 in today's dollars) from J. P. Morgan in return for a 51% share of any generated wireless patents, and began planning the Wardenclyffe Tower facility to be built in Shoreham, New York, 100 miles (161 km) east of the city on the North Shore of Long Island.

By July 1901, Tesla had expanded his plans to build a more powerful transmitter to leap ahead of Marconi's radio-based system, which Tesla thought was a copy of his own. He approached Morgan to ask for more money to build the larger system, but Morgan refused to supply any further funds.

In December 1901, Marconi successfully transmitted the letter S from England to Newfoundland, defeating Tesla in the race to be first to complete such a transmission. Wall Street were putting their money into Marconi's system, and some in the press began turning against Tesla's project, claiming it was a hoax. The project came to a halt in 1905, and in 1906, the financial problems and other events may have led to what Tesla biographer Marc J. Seifer suspects was a nervous breakdown on Tesla's part.

Tesla mortgaged the Wardenclyffe property to cover his debts at the Waldorf-Astoria, which eventually amounted to $20,000 ($584,300 in today's dollars). He lost the property in foreclosure in 1915, and in 1917 the Tower was demolished by the new owner to make the land a more viable real estate asset.

In 1917, Nikola Tesla's tireless dedication and remarkable contributions were recognized and he was awarded the prestigious Edison Medal, named after his contemporary and sometimes rival, Thomas Edison. This accolade cemented Tesla's legacy as a pioneer of electrical engineering, and his name became synonymous with innovation and brilliance.

# Science and Magic

In 1906, on his 50th birthday, Nikola Tesla showcased a revolutionary invention—a 200 horsepower (150 kilowatts), 16,000 rpm bladeless turbine. Conducting further tests at the Waterside Power Station in New York from 1910 to 1911, Tesla's bladeless turbine engines reached capacities ranging from 100 to 5,000 horsepower. Collaborating with companies like Allis-Chalmers from 1919 to 1922, Tesla, alongside engineer Hans Dahlstrand, aimed to perfect the turbine.

During World War I, Tesla became embroiled in wireless communication disputes. The British, aiming to control transatlantic communication, cut the telegraph cable linking the US and Germany. Tesla was hired as a witness by the US Marconi Company in a lawsuit against the German radio company Telefunken. In 1915, Tesla attempted to sue the Marconi Company for wireless tuning patent infringement, leading to legal complexities that intertwined with broader wartime disputes.

Tesla's experiments covered a spectrum of ideas. His attempt to locate submarines using high-frequency radio waves during World War I anticipated modern radar technology. He explored the application of electricity to enhance intelligence, he discovered a new form of energy and his assertion of developing a death ray for defense garnered attention.

Tesla envisioned a global system of wireless communication and information transfer. He proposed the idea of a "Free World Wireless System" that could transmit messages, images, and even power wirelessly across the globe. Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower, although never completed, was intended to be a key component of this ambitious wireless communication network.

Tesla had discovered universal energy, and he was passioned with the idea to be accessible to everyone. His vision involved tapping into the Earth's natural resources to provide free and unlimited power. Tesla spoke about using mind frequencies to vibrate and control atoms, he openly named alchemy and magic as scientific concepts, which he referred to as "dynamic mind of gravity," aimed at using elements without the need for mechanical processes.

However these ideas were "ahead of his time" and were not accepted.

# Spirit Phone

Tesla and Edison were fascinated by the idea of contacting the afterlife, and they were working on such projects. They both explored ways and created machines to talk with spirits and explored a wide range of ideas. However, the Dimensional Radio publicly known as the "Spirit Phone" proven impossible to build.

"To me, the universe is simply a great machine which never came into being and never will end" and "what we call 'soul' or 'spirit,' is nothing more than the sum of the functionings of the body. When this functioning ceases, the 'soul' or the 'spirit' ceases likewise."

Nikola Tesla had said.

# Later Years

In the final years of his extraordinary life, Nikola Tesla delved deeper into the realms of science and his unyielding quest for understanding the mysteries of the universe. As his brilliant mind continued to unravel the intricacies of the cosmos, a profound realization washed over him—a realization that would shape his ultimate legacy.

In the twilight of his existence, Tesla came to perceive magic not as an otherworldly force, but as an inherent part of the natural world. It was a cosmic magic, woven into the very fabric of existence, connecting everything from the tiniest particle to the vastness of celestial bodies.

He saw that black holes and giant stars were not separate entities but children of nature, children of this cosmic magic.

But it didn't stop there. Tesla's boundless vision extended to all living creatures, including humanity itself. He saw that humans and animals, regardless of their size or power, were intricately woven into the tapestry of nature, each one bearing the essence of this magic.

Tesla's understanding of magic went hand in hand with his unwavering belief in the power of science. To him, science was not just a means to unravel the secrets of the universe but a pathway to freedom for humanity.

He believed that through scientific progress and the harnessing of nature's magic, humanity could transcend the limitations of its own existence.

Nikola Tesla stood as a beacon of hope and enlightenment. His lifelong pursuit of knowledge and his tireless efforts to unlock the mysteries of the universe had led him to a profound truth—the realization that magic and nature were inseparable, and that science held the key to unlocking the boundless potential within humanity.

Nikola Tesla proved that the world will not change with wars or secret orders to write books of history or philosophy. That Humanity can find glory without great sorcerers or kings but through unity and worldwide advancements.

> “Peace can only come as a natural consequence of universal enlightenment and merging of races, and we are still far from this blissful realization.” “Years hence it will be possible for nations to fight without armies, ships or guns, by weapons far more terrible, to the destructive action and range of which there is virtually no limit. A city, at any distance whatsoever from the enemy, can be destroyed by him and no power on earth can stop him from doing so. War can not be avoided until the physical cause for its recurrence is removed and this, in the last analysis, is the vast extent of the planet on which we live. Only thru annihilation of distance in every respect, as the conveyance of intelligence, transport of passengers and supplies and transmission of energy will conditions be brought about some day, insuring permanency of friendly relations. What we now want most is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth, and the elimination of that fanatic devotion to exalted ideals of national egoism and pride which is always prone to plunge the world into primeval barbarism and strife. No league or parliamentary act of any kind will ever prevent such a calamity. These are only new devices for putting the weak at the mercy of the strong.” “There is no subject more captivating, more worthy of study, than nature. To understand this great mechanism, to discover the forces which are active, and the laws which govern them, is the highest aim of the intellect of man.” “If you only knew the magnificence of the 3,6 and 9, then you would have the key to the universe.”
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On a chilly January day in 1943, at the ripe age of 86, Nikola Tesla breathed his last in New York City. The world bid farewell to a man whose genius had left an indelible mark on humanity. As the news of his passing spread, there was a collective realization that an era had ended. The man who had dared to dream, had left a legacy that would endure through the ages.

# Legacy

Nikola Tesla's legacy after his death is vast and enduring. While he faced financial struggles during his lifetime, many of his ideas and inventions have proven to be foundational to modern technologies.

### \*\*Alternating Current (AC) Power:\*\*

   Tesla's championing of alternating current (AC) power over direct current (DC) has become the standard for electrical power distribution. AC power is used worldwide, making long-distance transmission and efficient power distribution possible.

### \*\*Wireless Communication:\*\*

   Tesla's work laid the groundwork for wireless communication. His patents and innovations, played a crucial role in the development of radio technology, a key component of modern wireless communication.

### \*\*Internet and Wireless Transmission:\*\*

   Tesla's concepts of wireless transmission and communication paved the way for technologies like Wi-Fi and other wireless networking systems. The principles he explored in wireless communication contributed to the development of modern telecommunications.

### \*\*Remote Control and Robotics:\*\*

   Tesla's invention of the radio-controlled boat demonstrated early concepts of remote control. Today, his work serves as a precursor to the development of remote control systems and robotics.

### \*\*Particle Beam Weapons and Radar:\*\*

   Tesla's ideas about particle beam weapons and directed energy have parallels with modern developments in radar technology. While his exact visions weren't realized during his lifetime, the principles he explored laid the foundation for advancements in these areas.

### \*\*Fluorescent Lighting:\*\*

   Tesla's work on high-frequency lighting systems contributed to the development of fluorescent lighting, a widely used technology today.

### \*\*Induction Motors:\*\*

   Tesla's invention of the induction motor is a key component in various electrical devices, from household appliances to industrial machinery.

### \*\*Space Signals and Extraterrestrial Communication:\*\*

   Tesla expressed interest in the possibility of interplanetary communication contributed to later considerations in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).

Tesla's legacy is one of innovation and forward thinking, and many of his ideas have become integral parts of the technological landscape. While some of his more ambitious visions were not realized in his time, the impact of his work continues to shape the world.

This Very Fandom was once a dream in Tesla's mind.

Thank you Nikolas,