Nikola Tesla

Inventor, physicist and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla is known for his revolutionary contributions to the fields of electricity and magnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tesla's work inspired modern alternating current electric power - biographers have labeled him the "patron saint of modern electricity."

In 1943, he was credited by the U.S. Supreme Court as having been the inventor of the radio.

Fast Facts

1. Born July 10, 1856
2. Famous for his contributions to studies of Electricity and Magnetism
3. Scientific unit for measuring magnetic induction named for Tesla
4. Portrayed by David Bowie in film The Prestige
5. Died January 7, 1943

Timeline

• July 10, 1856: Born
• 1882: Conceives of the AC induction motor
• 1884: Begins working for Thomas Edison in New York
• 1885: Resigns from position with Edison
• 1887: Builds the first AC Induction Motor
• 1891: Demonstrating wireless power transmission
• 1892: Discovers X-ray radiation
• 1893: Demonstrates a Wireless Transmitter/Receiver system
• 1893: Generates 1,000,000 volts using a conical air-core Tesla Coil
• 1916: Declares bankruptcy
• January 7, 1943: Died

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