Current Series
Nikola Tesla
For series nine of The Biographers, we're covering one of the most recognized names in modern history: the genius inventor, Nikola Tesla. From the induction motor to the Tesla coil to the world's first remotely controlled boat, Nikola Tesla was a true revolutionary in the fields of science, invention, and electrical engineering. Heck, the reason you're able to charge your electronic devices on a wireless charger is because of him!
But much about Tesla's life is either misunderstood, misrepresented, or conflated with legends, such as his supposed romantic relationship with a pigeon or his alleged assistance to desperate magicians in cloning themselves to defeat their rivals. Some of these stories are true, but most are not. However, the reality of his life is even more compelling and amazing than you'd imagine. From a young age, Tesla suffered from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and was prone to random, extreme visual hallucinations that were so vivid, he would often have to ask a friend or family member whether what he was experiencing was reality or fantasy. Every once in a while, though, his visions would aid his genius, resulting in some of the most important and consequential inventions in history.
Join us as we explore the life of one of the most important scientists ever to walk the earth.