Luke Johnston - Nikola Tesla: Biography of a True Genius

Introduction

I f we measure the success of Nikola Tesla's life based only on his fame and wealth, and drew this as a line on a chart, the line, starting in 1856, would steadily move upwards before reaching a significant peak by the end of the 19 th century, before steadily sinking to the bottom around the time of his death in 1943. Nikola Teslas fall into obscurity and poverty is an enigma, and some would say, a tragedy.

Over the course of his lifetime, he became one of the most celebrated scientists of his time. His most famous invention allowed the free flow of electricity over great distances and profoundly changed society across the globe; it still punctuates our lives in this modern era, day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

He was also partially responsible for the invention of the radio and accurately predicted the free-flowing movement of information in writing via voice and even by screen. He became obsessed with an idea that prepared us for the World Wide Web at least a century before its inclusion in our everyday lives. Every smartphone in the world carries at least one vestige of the technology he created in the 19 th century.

Yet at the end of his long life, he was an obscure, penniless figure; almost a laughing stock in the scientific community. He died alone (except perhaps for the company of the pigeons he allowed into his room to feed) and wasn't discovered for at least 2 days until one of the maids in a New York Hotel stumbled upon his body. His achievements were almost forgotten, but not quite.

He continued to be revered in his home country of Serbia, where a number of astute historians of the era kept the torch burning, and in 1975 he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his invention of technology that ran on alternating currents. Then, in 2003, a motor company was born that, after a competition to choose its name, called itself Tesla as a tribute to the great scientist.

Since then, interest in Nikola Tesla, the scientist and the man, has increased, and he has begun to re-take his rightful place in history as one of the most innovative and influential inventors in either modern or ancient history.

This is not hyperbole. Try to imagine a world without electricity on tap to almost every household in the world, to every office block, factory, hospital, and school. His invention of the alternating current motor paved the way for energy and lighting to be pumped safely and relatively cheaply into homes and businesses the world over. Nikola Tesla was not the only player of this game, but it was his inventions that paved the way for the seismic changes in society we now take for granted.

It is inconceivable for most human beings living in the current era to exist without freely available electricity. It is not an exaggeration to say that Teslas creation of the polyphase AC motor forms one of the cornerstones of modern society. It is up there with the invention of the wheel, the taming of horses, and the printing press as one of humanitys greatest inventions.

Yet, whilst Nikola Teslas name festered in obscurity, history books told us about the great achievements of Michael Faraday (discoverer of electromagnetic induction), Thomas Edison (prolific inventor with 1000 patents to his name, including the phonograph and the electric light bulb), and Guigliemo Marconi (credited as being the inventor of wireless telegraphy or, as we now call it, radio.