Electrcity

When you think of electricity what name usually comes to mind? Most people would usually think of Thomas Edison, but history, or rather the people, seems to have forgotten a very important contributor. Nikola Tesla is one of, if not the greatest, inventors in human history. He created a system that powers our homes, fluorescent lighting, and the modern radio. If he was such a great inventor why don’t more people know who he is?

           

When Nikola Tesla came to the United States in 1884 he was able to quickly find work at Edison Machine Works. There developed a more efficient way of distributing energy. Edison tried to dispute the fact by making insane accusations against Tesla. He claimed that alternating currents where very dangerous and that direct currents were more efficient. Tesla tried to ensure the people that alternating currents were safe by performing tests, were he was able to light lamps using only his body to direct the flow of electricity to the lamp. In 1885 George Westinghouse bought the patent rights to Telsa’s system of alternating currents, and in 1893 the dispute was finally settled when Tesla used his system to light the World Colombian Expedition.