The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#1

Post by Hooke » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 1:16 AM UTC

The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla
smithsonianmag.com

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#2

Post by lerie82 » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 3:21 AM UTC

Perhaps one of my favorite people of all time, you can find some decent documentaries on YouTube as well. It's hard to sum him up in an article so if you're interested in any of the things he accomplished, check out some videos and books about him, truly an extraordinary man that had so much taken from him with no credit given.

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#3

Post by cairo_x » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 3:30 AM UTC

Never fails to make me quite emotional reading about his story.

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#4

Post by mindcrime » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 3:31 AM UTC

Of all of the pop culture tributes / references to Tesla, probably my favorite is the band Tesla[1] and their album The Great Radio Controversy[2]. And, of course, the song Edison's Medicine[3] on the Psychotic Supper album.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_(band)

[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Radio_Controversy

[3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2zwBRa0YhA

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#5

Post by WalterBright » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 3:52 AM UTC

These days it's fashionable to venerate Tesla and denigrate Edison. Tesla's contributions to AC motors and power are great and beyond dispute. The others, not so much.

For those who like to denigrate Edison by comparison, I challenge to read "Edison" by Josephson and maintain that opinion.

I.e. Tesla transformed AC power, Edison transformed multiple foundational industries.

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#6

Post by leggomylibro » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 3:54 AM UTC

I have a genuine question about Tesla. I've read some of his speeches/presentations, and he has credited his interest in inductors and electrical fields to, among other things, papers or texts written by William Crookes.

I can't find which texts, though. Does anyone know?

See, the thing about Crookes is, he seems to have veered towards paranormal stuff towards the end of his career and a lot of the literature surrounding him has to do with that. Somewhat ironically, the Crookes Tube was featured in one of H.P. Lovecraft's stories during an attempt to exorcise an eldritch monstrosity of fungal horror.

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#7

Post by hinkley » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 3:56 AM UTC

I still think my favorite development in the Tesla saga was when a cartoonist (The Oatmeal) got the Internet and then Elon Musk to help him save Wardenclyff from the dozers.

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#8

Post by krapp » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 4:05 AM UTC

leggomylibro wrote: post #6

I have a genuine question about Tesla. I've read some of his speeches/presentations, and he has credited his interest in inductors and electrical fields to, among other things, papers or texts written by William Crookes. I can't find which texts, though. Does anyone know? See, the thing about Crookes is, he seems to have veered towards paranormal stuff towards the end of his career and a lot of the literature surroun…

Now I know that there needs to be a survival horror game where Nikola Tesla fights eldritch abominations in Gilded Age New York.

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#9

Post by mindcrime » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 4:07 AM UTC

WalterBright wrote: post #5

These days it's fashionable to venerate Tesla and denigrate Edison. Tesla's contributions to AC motors and power are great and beyond dispute. The others, not so much. For those who like to denigrate Edison by comparison, I challenge to read "Edison" by Josephson and maintain that opinion. I.e. Tesla transformed AC power, Edison transformed multiple foundational industries.

Fair enough. One can respect both of them without denigrating either. I'm something of a Tesla fan-boy, but I have no problem saying that Edison was a great inventor who did a lot to make the world a better place.

Re: The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla

#10

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 4:33 AM UTC

mindcrime wrote: post #9

WalterBright wrote: post #5

These days it's fashionable to venerate Tesla and denigrate Edison. Tesla's contributions to AC motors and power are great and beyond dispute. The others, not so much. For those who like to denigrate Edison by comparison, I challenge to read "Edison" by Josephson and maintain that opinion. I.e. Tesla transformed AC power, Edison transformed multiple foundational industries.

Fair enough. One can respect both of them without denigrating either. I'm something of a Tesla fan-boy, but I have no problem saying that Edison was a great inventor who did a lot to make the world a better place.

[deleted]