©Dianne Irene
Published in April, 2008
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.
