Nikola Tesla: Difference between revisions

Nikola Tesla: electrical genius, brilliant engineer, [[Mad Scientist]], possibly [[Asexuality|asexual]] (or just [[Celibate Eccentric Genius|celibate]]), [[The Wonka|pigeon-loving weirdo]], poor businessman. Born in the village of Smiljan from Serbian parents (Austrian Empire at the time, Croatia today) and immigrant to the United States, Tesla is best known for his eponymous electrical transformer, the [[Shock and Awe|Tesla Coil]], closely followed by his development of the first feasible alternating current power generator, ultimately built at [[Niagara Falls]]. Other patents of his include the equipment for radio, vertical take-off and landing, and fluorescent light bulbs. (X-rays and quasars? Possibly.) However, a combination of poor business decisions, economic trouble, and pressures from archrival [[Thomas Edison]] eventually led to the end of his good fortunes, and he acquired obsessive/compulsive tendencies and other eccentricities. He ultimately died alone in a hotel room after failing to sell a giant [[Death Ray]] to the US government. It is safe to say that without this man, the 21st century would not exist as we know it. And hardly anyone knows him.

 

# Tesla lacked marketing ability and business knowledge. He concentrated on science and ignored the need to build a network of contacts.

# [[Thomas Edison]] had such ability and knowledge; he also made political connections and promoted his public image.

 

For examples relating to his most famous invention, see [[Shock and Awe]].

== Anime and Manga ==

 

== Comic Books ==

* Tesla is a significant character in the [[DC Comics]] Elseworld ''[[Justice League of America|JLA]]: Age of Wonder'', in which he quits Edison Machine Works at the same time as Lex Luthor and Clark Kent. The combination of wacked-out science ability, ruthless business savvy and superpowers changes the world, until Luthor remembers he's a [[Super Villain]] and asks Tesla to take out those Death Ray plans again.

* As part of IDW's "Infestation 2" event, and a sequel to Transformers: Hearts of Steel, which took place in the Industrial Revolution, Nikola Tesla fought Cthulhu-powered Decepticons alongside Optimus Prime. Just go ahead and bask in that sentence for a bit.

 

== Film ==

* In the film ''[[Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs]]'', the main character - then a well-intentioned grade-school [[Mad Scientist]] - has a poster of Tesla which proclaims him a "Rockstar Scientist." [[Badass|He's air-guitaring a lightning bolt.]]

* The animated movie ''[[War of the Worlds]]: Goliath'' includes Tesla as part of the research and development staff for the Earth forces preparing for a renewed Martian invasion. He shows up in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXgiTlKhKM8&feature=related the first trailer], alongside [[Theodore Roosevelt]], briefing troops on the expected attack and Earth's new equipment.

 

== Literature ==

* Tesla was featured quite prominently in the Titanic themed novel ''[[Distant Waves]]''

 

* ''[[MythBusters]]'' tested Tesla's earthquake machine. While there were some surprisingly large vibrations, the idea that it could take out a building without external power was quite busted.

** The bridge these guys were using their Tesla inspired device on was relatively modern, meaning that it had been built to withstand mechanical resonance. This theory has already been proven by incidents such as that of the Angers Bridge in 1850 (with the vibration of soldiers marching in step dislodging the bridge) and of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940 (with the wind happening to have a frequency that matched the structural frequency of the bridge). This could potentially work, but that would depend on whether or not the building or bridge had been fortified against such frequencies.

* ''[[Warehouse 13]]'' has a handgun shaped and sized machine made by Tesla that shoots electricity and causes short term memory loss. He and Edison also apparently stopped their war long enough for both of them to create the warehouse's electrical system. The designing of the actual warehouse, however, was done by [[M. C. Escher]], which is enough to give anybody [[Nightmare Fuel]]...

* An episode of [[Team Knight Rider]] revealed that in his childhood, Trek had managed to design a fully functional version of Tesla's earthquake machine, which was being used by a renegade priest to do "God's work" by destroying Las Vegas.

 

== Music ==

* [[wikipedia:Tesla (band)|Tesla (Band)]]

* [[Joy Electric]], the Christian Electronica band, has a rather odd song dedicated to Tesla (as noted in the page quote).

 

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

* He's been merged into ''[[Genius: The Transgression]]''; this time he's a Etherite, putting him as one of the villains. Then again Etherites are often considered to be the least nasty of the villians, more interested in their crazy theories and experiencing the wonders of science than hurting anyone. They just tend to have a mental breakdown when someone disagrees with them, and have easy access to rayguns.

* In the [[Euro Game]] ''Through The Ages: A Story Of Civilization'', one of the six Modern Era leaders available for your civilization is Tesla (at least, in the more recent editions - the original version of the game had [[Bill Gates]] filling the same role).

 

== Theatre ==

 

== Video Games ==

* ''[[Mega Man Battle Network|Megaman Battle Network 5: Team Protoman]]'' features Ms. Tesla Magnus, operator of Magnetman, the electric Navi of the installment.

* ''[[Return to Castle Wolfenstein]]'' has another Tesla gun.

 

== Web Comics ==

* Tesla invented Little Miss Mechanical, ''[[The Intrepid Girlbot]]'''s oldest ancestor.

* Tesla appears in ''[http://www.thinkin-lincoln.com/ Thinkin' Lincoln]'', where he exists as an omnipresent [[Energy Beings|being of pure energy]].

* A recent edition of ''[[The Oatmeal]]'' entitled "[http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla Why Nikola Tesla Was the Greatest Geek Who Ever Lived]" went to great lengths to make the case for Tesla being one of History's most unsung heroes. It goes to just as much trouble to illustrate why Tesla's classic rival Thomas Edison was a "douche."

 

== Web Original ==

* In the Chinese webfic ''Time to Shoot Down the Moon'' (written by a troper called T*sl*shark), the NATO extends Tesla's research and built "Coil Antennas" in Alaska and on the Moon to serve as a mean of long-range communication and detection, also generators of weaponized plasma lightning. The AI overseeing the Coil Antennas on the Moon is named Nick for some obvious reason, and many of the staff there belong to the Scientist's Vigilante, a secret organization founded by Tesla.

* The mad scientist’s time in Colorado Springs plays a vital role in the blog novel ''[[Flyover City]]!''

 

== Western Animation ==

{{quote|'''Man:''' Mr. Edison, we're going to use your invention to power the world. And Mr. Tesla, we're going to use yours in the background of [[Frankenstein]] movies.

'''Thomas Edison:''' Aw, I wanted that one! }}

 

== Real Life ==

** [[wikipedia:Tesla Model S|The Tesla Model S aka The Tesla White Star]]? due for production next year,{{when}} a family/executive sedan with a 300-mile battery pack and 17-inch touchscreen controls.

** [[wikipedia:Tesla BlueStar|Tesla Blue Star]]

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Historical Domain Character]]