17 Weird Facts about Nikola Tesla, the Man Who Invented the 20th Century

And inspired Elon Musk and Larry Page

Nikola Tesla circa 1890 | Image from Wikipedia, altered by the author

If it weren’t for Tesla Motors, the world still wouldn’t know about the man who gave us electricity (AC).

He also predicted inventions a whole century into the future. According to BigThink,

“Tesla is (…) responsible for a variety of ahead-of-their-time inventions that have stoked the public’s fancy. We are talking about wireless technology, including wireless transmission of electricity, early cellphones, self-driving, and flying vehicles, as well as thought machines and death rays.”

Nikola Tesla is the author of more than 700 patents and innovations. Here are some of them:

• the Tesla coil — a transformer which produces high-voltage AC electricity,
• the first hydro-electric power plant at Niagara Falls,
• a fluorescent light bulb,
• a magnifying transmitter with which he could light bulbs half a mile away,
• a remote control,
• the first X-ray image (but the work ended up in fire),
• the radio (papers lost in a fire),
• the Tesla turbine, his favorite invention with 98% efficiency— intended for…