The genius of Nikola Tesla.Just as we acknowledge the greatness of Thomas Edison ("The Man Who Lit Up the World" by William Hoar, in THE NEW AMERICAN'S June 30th issue), we must also acknowledge the genius of Nikola Tesla Noun 1. Nikola Tesla - United States electrical engineer and inventor (born in Croatia but of Serbian descent) who discovered the principles of alternating currents and developed the first alternating-current induction motor and the Tesla coil and several forms of . As Margaret Cheney and Robert Uth write in their book Tesla, Master of Lightning, "This is the story of a genius--the enigmatic Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)--and his vast contribution to science. While Thomas Edison was thrilling engineers with the development of the DC (direct current) motor, Tesla had already devised the far superior AC (alternating current) model, which quickly became the industry standard." Mr. Hoar mentions Edison's experimentation with AC by executing stray cats The Stray Cats are a rockabilly band formed in 1979 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer (Bloodless Pharaohs/Brian Setzer Orchestra) with school friends Lee Rocker (born Leon Drucker) and Slim Jim Phantom (born James McDonnell) in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. and dogs to prove how unsafe AC was, without mentioning that the inventor of the revolutionary alternating current was Nikola Tesla. Hoar writes, "As late as 1903, Mr. Edison complained about what he considered undue attention paid to alternating current." Cheney and Uth further write, "Edison knew little of alternating current, chose to believe it the work of the devil, and did not care to learn more about it." AC was but one of many Tesla innovations. An August 28, 1984 New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times article, entitled "Tesla, A Bizarre Genius," states: "The world of science is belatedly recognizing the genius of one of its most important, eccentric, and enigmatic inventors, Nikola Tesla. A century after he arrived penniless pen·ni·less adj. 1. Entirely without money. 2. Very poor. See Synonyms at poor. pen  ni·less·ly adv. on the docks of New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , Tesla is receiving credit for brilliant achievements that outdid out·did v. Past tense of outdo. those of his contemporaries, Edison and Marconi. And more than forty years after the recluse died in a Manhattan hotel room ... he is being elevated to the pantheon of the world's greatest inventors. It was Nikola Tesla, not Marconi, who invented the first radio; it was Tesla, not Edison, who devised the system of electric power distribution now used throughout the world. It was Tesla who invented the polyphase Pol´y`phase a. 1. (Elec.) Having or producing two or more phases; multiphase; as, a polyphase machine, a machine producing two or more pressure waves of electro-motive force, differing in phase; a electric motor, the bladeless steam turbine Steam turbine A machine for generating mechanical power in rotary motion from the energy of steam at temperature and pressure above that of an available sink. By far the most widely used and most powerful turbines are those driven by steam. , and the radio-guided torpedo torpedo, in naval warfare torpedo, in naval warfare, a self-propelled submarine projectile loaded with explosives, used for the destruction of enemy ships. Although there were attempts at subsurface warfare in the 16th and 17th cent. . Some scientists say it was Tesla who conceived ideas for a 'Star Wars' type of military shield in space." Cheney and Uth write, "Nikola Tesla, immigrant, arrived in New York in 1884 with a letter of introduction to Thomas Edison and very little else." Upon meeting Edison, Tesla recalled in 1919, "When I saw this wonderful man, who had had no training at all, no advantages, and who did it all himself, and saw the great results by virtue of his industry and application--you see, I had studied a dozen languages ... and had spent the best years of my life ruminating through libraries ... I thought to myself what a terrible thing it was to have wasted my life on these useless things, and if I had only come to America right America Right is a U.S. talk channel on XM Satellite Radio that plays terrestrial radio show simulcasts, which feature a conservative point of view. Up until 2004, the channel was known as Buzz XM and featured more of a hot talk lineup. then and there and devoted all of my brain power and inventiveness to my work, what could I have not done?" It was reported that Thomas Edison felt cheated on several occasions when he did not receive compensation for his work; however, he taught Tesla a hard lesson when Edison had promised the immigrant $50,000 if he succeeded in a certain electrical project. "When he [Tesla] asked to be paid, however, Edison seemed astonished a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. ," recalled a 1938 biography of Tesla. "He explained that the offer of $50,000 had been made in jest for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest. See also: Jest , saying, 'When you become a full-fledged American you will appreciate an American joke.'" In shock, Tesla threatened to resign. Edison countered by offering him a $10 raise, bringing his salary up to $28 per week, and warned that if he chose to leave, he would have difficulty finding another engineering job in such hard times. Tesla thanked him icily and declared that he would rather take his chances on the streets. Unable to find employment, the proud immigrant worked for many months at the most arduous hand labor. While digging ditches in the New York streets, he found little comfort in burying electric lines for Edison's DC system. Word quickly circulated among the rough-and-ready society of industrialists, engineers, and Wall Street traders that a foreigner of unusual talent was among them. Tesla was soon approached by investors who asked him to design improved are lighting for the hazardous streets and factories. Although this was not the opportunity he had hoped for, the group was willing to finance a Tesla Electric Light Company at Rahway, New Jersey, with a Manhattan Branch office, in April 1887. Tesla, the son of a Serbian Orthodox priest, was born in a Yugoslav territory called Krajina during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He became the inventor of most of the fundamental radio devices. In 1943, a U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled that Tesla especially, and a few others as well, had anticipated all the features of the American Marconi radio patent of 1904 and, by implication, the preceding British patent of 1896. Nikola Tesla, who had lived in America for the better part of his long life and was a naturalized nat·u·ral·ize v. nat·u·ral·ized, nat·u·ral·iz·ing, nat·u·ral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To grant full citizenship to (one of foreign birth). 2. To adopt (something foreign) into general use. American citizen, died in New York on Serbian Christmas, January 7, 1943. Together, both Tesla and Edison have given us a brighter world. Mrs. Jatras, the wife of a career U.S. Air Force officer, has worked in the Political Section of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and lectured at both the Naval War College and the Air Force Command. |
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