Further reading:  Nikola Tesla biography
It includes descriptions of his inventions, photographs, letters, and many articles related to his work.

Nikola Tesla
Often forgotten in the shadows of contemporaries like Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla’s genius paved the way for many of the electrical wonders we now take for granted.

Born in Croatia in 1856, he displayed early signs of brilliance, reportedly creating a bug-powered motor at just 16. His relentless thirst for knowledge eventually led him to America.

Among Tesla’s most celebrated contribution is the development of alternating current (AC) electrical systems. While Edison’s direct current (DC) systems were limited over long distances, Tesla’s AC system could efficiently transmit electricity across vast expanses, revolutionising power distribution. Today, AC remains the global standard.

Tesla also envisioned a world connected wirelessly, predicting innovations akin to modern-day Wi-Fi and smartphones. At his Wardenclyffe Tower laboratory, he sought to create wireless power transmission. In Colorado Springs, he built a lab where he conjured artificial lightning and experimented with wireless energy transfer. Among his other groundbreaking inventions were the Tesla coil, the induction motor, and early contributions to radio technology.

While Edison excelled at marketing himself and his inventions, Tesla embodied the archetypal “mad genius.” Tragically, he died relatively penniless in 1943. Tesla’s silent legacy is increasingly recognised today, with credit finally being given to his visionary inventions.