Here is a summary of the key information about his life and work:
Early Life and Background
Origin: Tesla was born in 1856 in Smiljan, which was then part of the Austrian Empire (now Croatia), into an ethnic Serb family. His father was a Serbian Orthodox priest, and his mother was known for her talent in making home craft tools.
Education: He studied engineering and physics at the Austrian Polytechnic Institute in Graz and later attended the University of Prague.
Emigration: Tesla worked in telephony and electrical engineering in Europe before immigrating to the United States in 1884, where he briefly worked for Thomas Edison.
Major Inventions and Contributions
Tesla is most famous for his work in the "War of the Currents," where his system ultimately became the worldwide standard.
Alternating Current (AC) Power Systems: Tesla is known for his immense contribution to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. He discovered and patented the rotating magnetic field, which is the basis of most AC machinery, including the AC induction motor and the polyphase AC system. This system allows electricity to be transmitted over much greater distances than the direct current (DC) system advocated by his rival, Thomas Edison.
Collaboration with Westinghouse: In 1888, George Westinghouse bought the patent rights to Tesla's AC system. This system was used to light the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and was later instrumental in creating the world's first large hydroelectric power plant at Niagara Falls in 1896.
The Tesla Coil: Invented in 1891, this high-frequency transformer circuit is capable of producing high-frequency alternating current and is still used in radio and television sets and other electronic equipment.
Radio Technology: Tesla made significant advances in the transmission and reception of radio signals. In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court formally recognized Tesla's earlier patents covering the fundamental principles of radio transmission.
Other Inventions and Concepts: Tesla received over 100 patents during his lifetime for various devices, including early remote-controlled boats, advancements in X-ray technology (which he called "shadowgraphs"), fluorescent and neon lighting, and the concept of a wireless global communications network.
Legacy
Despite his revolutionary contributions, Tesla often struggled with financial success and died in a New York hotel room in 1943, almost penniless. His work and genius were fully recognized years later. The tesla (T) is the International System of Units (SI) unit of magnetic flux density, named in his honor in 1960. The modern electric vehicle company, Tesla, Inc., is also named after him.
