As an admirer of bold thinkers, I’ve always been fascinated by scientist and visionary Nikola Tesla. He pioneered alternating current, wireless communication, and developed the remote control and radar before anybody knew how to apply them. But he died broke and alone, and now most people only know his name from the Tesla Coil, that thing you build for the high school science fair that makes your hair stand on end when you touch it,
On National Public Radio’s Studio 360 web site (here), you’ll find several fascinating podcasts about this creative genius. One is a multi-part interview with Samantha Hunt, author of “The Invention of Everything Else,” a novel featuring Tesla as the protagonist. She tells how Tesla gradually turned into a Dr. Strangelove-type character.
There are also three monologues by Mike Daisey, who does a one-man show about Tesla. Daisy talks about the battle between Tesla and Thomas Edison, his salons (attended by Mark Twain among others—Tesla cured Twain's constipation by running an electrical current through him), and his Death Ray.
Go spend some time with this weird, fascinating man and then if you want to find out more, there’s plenty at www.teslasociety.com.
