I have for the last couple of years had a certain fascination with this man--Nikola Tesla. I mean, half the shaman in World of Warcraft have derivatives of his name, he must be awesome, right? Right.
The man invented wireless electricity. Over 100 years ago. We are only now starting to make use of this. The process is even named after him--the Tesla effect. He invented X-rays and supposedly a death ray. Because of him, we might have had free global telecommunications, (and possibly by extension free wireless electricity), except for an investor who didn't see the profit in it.
He is the quintessential steampunk.
So which is he--genius or crazy?
To what uses might his many and often bizarre theories be put to solve modern problems? Particularly, alternative energy and energy efficiency?
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What do you mean "or"? Clearly he was both. ^_-
What do you mean "or"? Clearly he was both. ^_-
+1
Indeed, I knew my answer before I even finished reading the subject line.
Genius.
He predicted neutrinos travel faster than light.
He successfully derived a Unified Field Theory simple enough to be worked out on paper. It was lost in a fire.
The plans for his death ray are currently lost in CIA archives.
He measured X-rays before they were officially "invented".
A tiny scale version of his earthquake machine was tested on Mythbusters. They successfully shook a bridge and made lots of engineers nervous. Sadly the bridge was not destroyed.
Crazy.
He was obsessed with the number 3.
He was afraid of shiny things.
He considered himself married to a pigeon.
He trusted Edison to keep his word and not be a raging dick.
Genius or crazy? I vote both.
The man was a genius - an Einstein-level intellect who refused to be bound by the technology of his era. A bit of crazy (eccentricity?) is just part of the package deal.
Part of the problem with understanding Tesla is that the man and the myth have sort of merged as the years have marched on - he's attributed all sorts of fantastical inventions which may or may not only have existed in his mind, if at all. The truth is, however, that his real, verifiable inventions, theories and patents represent a vast and fantastic field of innovation and invention.
I do not think, however, that his dream of freely available, wireless electric energy for all will ever come to pass - certainly not in my lifetime.
A clear concensus.
Let's talk more about this part:
To what uses might his many and often bizarre theories be put to solve modern problems? Particularly, alternative energy and energy efficiency?
Was alternating current a blessing or a curse in disguise, given our current problems making use of wind power?
Is his idea of using Wardenclyffe Tower to provide free wireless electricity possible, or just crazy?
Are there efficiency increasing steps we could make using his ideas--or have we already made them?
I would love some scientific opinions. (Other opinions welcome too.)
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A clear concensus.
Let's talk more about this part:
To what uses might his many and often bizarre theories be put to solve modern problems? Particularly, alternative energy and energy efficiency?Was alternating current a blessing or a curse in disguise, given our current problems making use of wind power?
Is his idea of using Wardenclyffe Tower to provide free wireless electricity possible, or just crazy?
Are there efficiency increasing steps we could make using his ideas--or have we already made them?
I would love some scientific opinions. (Other opinions welcome too.)
AC is definitely a blessing, and a great step up from Edison's plans for DC transmission. The big difference between the two comes from the effect of resistance in wires. A DC current is slave te resistance effects, while an AC current merely requires the transmission, essentially, of the voltage. It attenuates far less, and there is less loss of energy over long distances, with AC. We can achieve the efficiency of transmissions in wired networks today solely because of AC.
The Wardenclyffe Tower works, but is a very inefficient way to distribute power. Your ability to draw on the power decreases with the square of your distance from the tower, an you'll have, with today's technology, about an 82% efficiency. Wired power grids can maintain about a 92% efficiency. You'd have to expend more energy for the same amount of electrical power. BAD for green purposes. Note, however, that the Wardenclyffe Tower idea is used today--with radio stations. When you're transmitting information instead of energy, the attenuation isn't nearly as bad.
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'Cause he was Lord of the Lightning,
Though "socially fright'ning",
But never out to sell.
Their nickels and pence
Meant more than did sense,
And not the sensible thing.
Nor did the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy. You was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
All along, world was wrong. You was right.
All that he saw, all he conceived,
They just could not believe.
Steinmetz and Twain were friends that remained,
Along with number three.
He was electromagnetic, completely kinetic,
"New Wizard of the West."
But they swindled and whined that he wasn't our kind,
And said Edison knew best.
He was the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy. You was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
Said you was outta your mind!
You took a shot and it did you in.
Edison's medicine.
You played your cards, but you couldn't win.
Edison's medicine.
I spent twelve years of hard time,
More like the best years of my life.
Never heard or read a single word
About "the man" and his "wicked mind."
They'll sell you on Marconi.
Familiar, but a phony.
Story goes they sold their souls
And swore that you'd never know...
About the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy. You was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
Swore you was outta your mind!
You took a shot and it did you in.
Edison's medicine.
You played your cards, but you couldn't win.
Edison's medicine.
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Dear Mr. Tesla
Have you an Austrian & English patents on the destructive terror you are inventing? - & if so, won't you set a price upon them & commission me to sell them? I know cabinet ministers of both countries - & of Germany, too; likewise William II. I shall be in Europe a year, yet. Here in the hotel the other night when some interested men were discussing means to persuade the nations to join with the Czar & disarm, I advised them to seek something more sure than disarmament by perishable paper-contract - invite the great inventors to contrive something against which fleets & armies would be helpless, & thus make war thenceforth impossible. I did not suspect that you were already attending to that, & getting ready to introduce into the earth permanent peace & disarmament in a practical & mandatory way. I know you are a very busy man, but will you steal time to drop me a line?
Sincerely Yours,
Mark Twain
Nutty, sure, genius quite, just like Viktor Schauberger :)
AC is definitely a blessing, and a great step up from Edison's plans for DC transmission. The big difference between the two comes from the effect of resistance in wires. A DC current is slave te resistance effects, while an AC current merely requires the transmission, essentially, of the voltage. It attenuates far less, and there is less loss of energy over long distances, with AC. We can achieve the efficiency of transmissions in wired networks today solely because of AC.
The Wardenclyffe Tower works, but is a very inefficient way to distribute power. Your ability to draw on the power decreases with the square of your distance from the tower, an you'll have, with today's technology, about an 82% efficiency. Wired power grids can maintain about a 92% efficiency. You'd have to expend more energy for the same amount of electrical power. BAD for green purposes. Note, however, that the Wardenclyffe Tower idea is used today--with radio stations. When you're transmitting information instead of energy, the attenuation isn't nearly as bad.
Fascinating.
Thanks for the information.
Nikola Tesla -- Genius or Crazy?
+1 * 10^58
Are you saying that genius and crazy isn't the same?
Just plain crazy. I adventured with the guy. "If I aim this lightning bolt a little to the left I can fry one more enemy and three more party members" doesn't sound like the workings of a mind of a genius to me.
We were crazy not to roll characters with improved evasion after this incident...