Was Tesla a physicist? Many people question the enigmatic inventor. In reality, he was an electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist. His greatest contributions are to the modern alternating current electricity supply system. Here’s what we know about the Serbian-American. Did you know Tesla studied physics? Did he use quantum mechanics to build electric motors?
In the 1880s, Tesla studied mathematics, physics, and philosophy at the Technical University of Graz. In 1882, he worked as an engineer at the Continental Edison Company, designing improvements to electric equipment. In 1882, he conceived an induction motor and began to develop rotating magnetic fields. He was granted patents for the induction motor two years later. Tesla’s discoveries continue to shape the world we live in today.
Nikola Tesla was born in 1856 in Smiljan, Croatia, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. His father was a priest in the Serbian Orthodox church and his mother tended the family farm. Tesla’s life was complicated by his brother’s death in a horse-riding accident in 1863. Tesla reported visions shortly after his brother’s death, and these visions were his first signs of his life-long mental illness.
In 1933, Nikola Tesla lived on the 33rd floor of the New Yorker Hotel. On his 75th birthday, he appeared on the cover of Time magazine. He was working on a device called the “Death Beam” to help keep the world peaceful. He sought funding for the project by appealing to J.P. Morgan Jr. and the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. The Soviet Union contributed $25,000 to the project, but his project stalled.
Nikola Tesla studied mathematics, physics, and engineering at Graz Polytechnic School. He later attended the Charles-Ferdinand branch of the University of Prague. His father died at the age of 60. While he was studying, he was still able to devote time to his studies, and he taught large classes at Gospic. He eventually became a gambling addict and lost all his tuition money.
His work on X-rays opened up many scientific avenues. He predicted that cosmic rays caused the radioactivity of some elements. He predicted that if we bombard other substances, we will make them radioactive as well. He also anticipated the principles behind X-ray apparatus, electron microscopes, and radio-controlled rocket missiles. But his efforts were cut short by the Chamberlain government’s ouster.
His research on wireless energy transmission centered on this idea. He began by developing wireless lighting in New York and then expanded the concept. Then he went on to develop a global wireless communications system. Tesla then sought funding from a group of investors, including J. P. Morgan, and went on to build a massive transmission tower on Long Island. He claimed to have received signals from a planet far beyond our own. While these discoveries were undoubtedly revolutionary, they were met with derision in some scientific journals.
The most important discovery that Tesla made was the discovery of the “relativist theory.” Its fundamental principle is that all living things sway in turn. This action disturbs the cosmic balance and universal motion. Tesla’s work also defended Einstein’s theories of relativity. The great philosopher Ruder Boskovic also wrote a thousand-volume body of literature on time-space continuum.
In addition to developing his revolutionary AC polyphase system, Tesla also developed his eccentric ideas. He spent much of his time in parks and communed with wild pigeons. His talk of building a powerful “death ray” had even caught the attention of the FBI. Unfortunately, his death was the result of a heart attack in 1943. But despite his success, his life reflects the essence of his character.
Despite his gender, Tesla also commented on the social subservience of women. In fact, he believed that women would be the dominant sex in the future. In other words, he was one of the most influential figures of his time. And he was also a feminist. If you are a woman, you might be interested in this fascinating biography about the inventor. You can also follow him on Twitter and Google+.