12 Interesting Facts About Nikola Tesla You Probably Didn't Know

[packman]

Born in a lightning storm
Some of his inventions still classified
Loved to nurse injured pigeons back to health
Was a germaphobe


Others at:

https://www.vintag.es/2019/07/nikola-tesla-facts.html

[brush]

1. Many may have seen this, a funny rap video of Tesla v Edison.

[First Speaker]

2. I don't *think* he was able to replicate people...

...like he did in *The Prestige*. But I'm not sure... ...I am pretty sure he was responsible for the Tunguska Incident in 1908. Or, if he wasn't, he should have been...

[smirkymonkey]

3. An error about his birthplace:

He was born in what was the Austrian Empire at the time, which is now modern day Croatia, however his parents were ethnic Serbs (article says he was born during a a fierce lightning storm in Serbia).

Here is another interesting tidbit:

"On 7 January 1943, at the age of 86, Tesla died alone in Room 3327 of the New Yorker Hotel. His body was later found by maid Alice Monaghan after she had entered Tesla's room, ignoring the "do not disturb" sign that Tesla had placed on his door two days earlier. Assistant medical examiner H.W. Wembley examined the body and ruled that the cause of death had been coronary thrombosis.

Two days later the Federal Bureau of Investigation ordered the Alien Property Custodian to seize Tesla's belongings. John G. Trump, (yes, THAT John G. Trump) a professor at M.I.T. and a well-known electrical engineer serving as a technical aide to the National Defense Research Committee, was called in to analyze the Tesla items, which were being held in custody. After a three-day investigation, Trump's report concluded that there was nothing which would constitute a hazard in unfriendly hands, stating:

[Tesla's] thoughts and efforts during at least the past 15 years were primarily of a speculative, philosophical, and somewhat promotional character often concerned with the production and wireless transmission of power; but did not include new, sound, workable principles or methods for realizing such results."

[Cornus]

4. Statue

There is also a statue of him at the train station in Rahway, NJ. I had a pic of it on my phone, but can't find it now. Here is a link about the statue: https://www.rahwayrising.com/nikola-tesla-on-display-at-train-station-plaza/

[Major Nikon]

5. He was also batshit crazy

[ProudLib72]

6. Nah. You want batshit crazy go look up Alfred Jarry

Tesla was just a little on the wild side in comparison.

[Major Nikon]

7. He would get into complete arguments with himself

He experienced frequent hallucinations and thought he was talking to aliens on mars. He also had many other delusions and had extreme OCD. So while others may have been more mentally ill, there’s no question Tesla was. There’s a good reason why he died pretty much penniless.