A Biography of Nikola Tesla - Research Paper Example

Pilar Garza ESL Unit 3: Genius Essay 15 December Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla was one of the earliest technologists whose works have continued to serve the contemporary society in a massive way. He was born in 1843 in Serbia before eventually immigrating into the United States at the age of 41 years. His early life was spent mostly in Austria. His father was a priest. He had four other siblings, three of whom were ladies. Tesla accredits his sharpness through his mother’s lineage. His early subjects were purely arts, with religion being in the list.

It may be surprising how Tesla later became to become an accomplished engineer, though his special skills had become apparent from the way he solved calculus with ease.1Tesla is famously known for his contributions in electrical engineering as well as mechanical engineering. His journey to engineering school was prompted by his father’s promise when he (Tesla) was sick that should he recover, he would do so. That was a time when there was forceful conscription in the army. Through difficulties, Tesla fought hard to ensure that he had a decent education.

He missed studying some critical subjects so that he found himself in a Telecom company before eventually moving into the US.2 While in the United States, Tesla’s fortunes opened. While at school and technical school, he had demonstrated commitment in all his endeavors. Edison Company was the first place he began what one may call a practical career. His first major achievement was at Edison where he managed to improve the existing model of a direct current generator. However, due to the company failing to honor its part in the gentleman’s agreement, Tesla quit job at Edison, As he struggled to move forward, Tesla secured funds from two other friends and experimented with alternating current (AC).

He used the concept of AC to develop an improved version of induction motor that required no commutator to work as it would auto-start. It was then that George Westinghouse sought his expertise. For the first time in his life, Tesla was able to earn a decent salary and live a decent life.3His later innovations include the improvement of the existing version of X-Ray, which he believed worked on a principle that exposed the skin to dangerous radiation. However, his idea of X-Ray had some weaknesses, which were later discovered in the modern time.

Besides, Tesla also had some patent wars with his early radio waves innovations. He had demonstrated the possibility of a wireless transmission, only to lose similar patents to Guglielmo Marconi. It was the US Supreme Court that later ruled in his favor in regards to some patents, though not all.4 History depicts Tesla as quite unlucky in some circumstances. One may note that many of the inventions that Tesla pioneered were modified, refined and patented elsewhere with precise functionalities as speculated.

For instance, his experimentation with sparks, current and lightning may not have been very accurate but laid the foundation for other waves used in location under the radar principle.5 For instance, Tesla’s speculation that the position of an object under water could be identified using high frequencies was later affirmed. Until his death, Tesla experimented widely, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing. As seen, Tesla remains one of the earliest technologists whose works have inspired other innovation for the improvement of the society.

He passes for a genius at a time when few scientists could do the much he did. Works CitedCarlson, Bernard W. Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age. Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press, 2013. Print.Seifer, Marc. Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla: Biography of a Genius. New York: Citadel Trade, 2001. Print.Tesla, Nikola. My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla. New York: SoHo Books, 2013. Print.Rusch, Elizabeth and Oliver Dominguez. Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World.

Somerville: Candlewick 2013. Print.