Nicola Tesla was born in the village of Smiljan, Croatia, on July 10, 1856. Tesla’s father, Milutin Tesla, was a Serbian Orthodox priest and his mother, Đuka Tesla, was an inventor. Nikola Tesla had one brother, Dane, and one sister, Angelina.
Early Childhood
As a child, Nikola Tesla was extremely bright and inquisitive. He was constantly asking questions and seeking knowledge. Tesla’s parents encouraged his intellectual curiosity and provided him with the tools he needed to pursue his interests.
Tesla’s early childhood was spent in the countryside, where he enjoyed exploring nature and discovering the secrets of the world around him. He was also an avid reader and loved learning about new things.
In 1863, when Tesla was six years old, his family moved to the city of Gospić. Tesla continued to be a precocious child and exhibited a talent for engineering and physics. He also showed a strong interest in mathematics.
In 1873, when Tesla was 17 years old, he got enrolled at the Austrian Polytechnic School in Graz, Austria. Tesla excelled in his studies and graduated with honors in 1875.
Tesla in Paris, Meeting With Edison
After graduating from college, Tesla traveled to Paris, France, where he worked as a draftsman for the Continental Edison Company. While in Paris, Tesla met several important figures in the fields of science and engineering, including physicist and mathematician Joseph Lagrange and inventor and entrepreneur Thomas Edison.
In 1884, Tesla moved to the United States to work for Thomas Edison. However, the two men soon had a falling out and Tesla eventually left Edison’s company to pursue his own independent research.
Tesla went on to develop a number of important inventions, including the Tesla coil, alternating current (AC) electricity, and the Tesla turbine. He also made several important contributions to the field of electromagnetism.
Nicola Tesla Died Poor
There are a number of theories about why Nicola Tesla died poor. Some say that he was a victim of corporate greed, while others claim that he simply didn’t know how to manage his money. Still, others believe that he was simply a misunderstood genius who never received the credit he deserved.
Whatever the reason, it is a tragedy that one of the most brilliant minds of our time died pennilessly and largely forgotten. Nikola Tesla’s contributions to science and technology are simply invaluable. He will always be remembered as one of the most important inventors and engineers of the 20th century.