Nikola Tesla was a prolific inventor far ahead of his time. His struggles and famous rivalry with Thomas Edison shaped his career and left a lasting impact on our modern world. Though his name is now mostly associated with electric vehicles, the man himself was a genius whose story deserves to be told.
Tesla‘s legacy has gained renewed attention recently with the growing popularity of electric vehicles and clean energy technologies. Let’s look back at the remarkable life of the man whose name and innovations continue to influence our world today.
The early years of a brilliant mind
Born on July 10, 1856, in Smiljan (in what is now Croatia), Tesla showed an interest in science from a very young age. One of his earliest memories—at just 3 years old—established his lifelong fascination with electricity when he noticed sparks generated while stroking a cat’s fur. This simple experience with static electricity sparked his curiosity.
When young Nikola asked about this phenomenon, his father—an Orthodox priest—explained it was electricity. This moment left a permanent mark on Tesla, who dedicated his entire life to understanding and harnessing this mysterious force. His mother, who created small household devices, further nurtured his inventive spirit.
With these influences, Tesla’s path seemed clear: he wanted to become an engineer. But at 17, he nearly didn’t make it past adolescence when he contracted cholera. During his worst moments, his father promised that if he recovered, he would send him to the best engineering school available.
Tesla survived, completed his military service, and in 1875 began studying at the Graz University of Technology in Austria. He later continued his studies at the University of Prague, though he never completed his degree.
Even then, Tesla was driven by the idea of making electricity freely available to everyone—a vision that has fueled many theories about his work and legacy.
The rivalry that changed electricity
In 1881, Tesla moved to Vienna where he worked for the National Telephone Company. Years later, he relocated to Paris to work at Edison’s telephone company—a decision that would significantly impact his career path. His experience there led him to travel to New York, where in 1884 he met Thomas Alva Edison himself.
Tesla carried a letter of recommendation from his previous boss, Charles Batchelor, which read: “I know two great men, and you are one of them. The other is the young bearer of this letter.” This was enough for Edison to hire him immediately.
Despite this promising start, their relationship quickly deteriorated as they clashed over a fundamental disagreement: direct current (DC) versus alternating current (AC).
Edison staunchly defended DC, while Tesla believed AC was superior. History has proven Tesla right—today all households use AC for appliances, while DC has found its place in more specialized applications like high-power electric vehicle charging.
Though time has vindicated Tesla’s position on AC, implementing it depended on Edison’s approval. Edison refused to consider it and launched a campaign to discredit both Tesla and his theory.
Breaking free and building his vision
George Westinghouse believed in Tesla’s ideas, and they collaborated on a project to harness the power of Niagara Falls to supply electricity to Buffalo, New York.
Their progress was interrupted when a fire destroyed Tesla’s laboratory in 1895, wiping out all his projects. In 1898, he presented the Teleautomaton—the world’s first radio-controlled device—but no one purchased the idea, and credit for the invention was given to a Spanish engineer.
Tesla was also denied recognition as the inventor of radio, with the credit going to Marconi until the U.S. Supreme Court finally acknowledged Tesla as its creator—shortly before his death.
Legacy of an unsung genius
Nikola Tesla died on January 7, 1943, in New York at age 86 from a heart attack. He left behind a historic legacy including over 300 patents and inventions like alternating current that have been key to modern life as we know it.
An interesting fact (that adds to the mystery surrounding Tesla) is that after his burial, the U.S. government entered his office and seized all documents related to his studies and research.
Tesla’s work laid the foundation for many technologies we take for granted today. His vision of wireless power transmission and free energy for all remains an inspiration for innovators like Elon Musk, who named his electric vehicle company after this brilliant inventor.
(I’ve always found it fascinating how Tesla could visualize his inventions completely in his mind before building them—a kind of mental 3D printing before such technology existed!)
The next time you switch on a light or plug in your electric car, remember the genius whose work made it possible. What other Tesla innovations might have changed our world if all his ideas had been preserved?
