Today marks the 153rd birthday of Nikola Tesla – a Serbian inventor, electrical engineer, and probably the world’s most famous “mad scientist.” Among his numerous inventions, Tesla is credited with pioneering the radio, the somewhat-terrifying Tesla coil (shown after the jump), early robots, and the popularization of alternating current (AC) power. He also had a feud with his former employer Thomas Edison, who allegedly refused to make good on a $50,000 bet that Tesla couldn’t develop an AC power source — his reason for not paying being that Tesla didn’t understand American humour. Tesla promptly quit and went to work for Edison’s competitor, where he continued to harnass AC power.

Beyond his work, Tesla was good friends with Mark Twain, had an obsession with the number three and a strong aversion to germs (many now believe he had obsessive-compulsive disorder). He was also celibate, and reportedly slept only 2-3 hours a night. He was known for his eccentric behaviour and showmanship; spectators were often afraid of Tesla’s demonstrations, though he would assure them they were safe. Tesla is widely portrayed in films, television, and literature — notably played by David Bowie in the 2006 film The Prestige (clip shown below), and as a prominant character in the  The Five Fists of Science, a graphic novel where Tesla and Twain team up to battle Edison.

Oh, and this headline appeared on the frontpage of the New York Times, July 11, 1934: “Tesla, at 78, Bares New ‘Death-Beam”. The man was working on a particle gun that would be able to bring down a fleet of airplanes — but that’s another story.

Top image from thescienceclassrom.wikispaces.com.
Bottom image from tesladownunder.com.