Tesla: 100 Years Too Early

Summary:
In this episode, Brian and Malinda discuss a man whose work is still only starting to be understood today - Nikola Tesla. Who was he, and how did he become an inventor? What kinds of technology did his inventions include? We take a look at some of his creations and uncover why his name is not always associated with them. We also discuss his history with Edison, the battle for powering New York City, and why Tesla had so much trouble with his patents. Join us as we look into this man’s history and how his work is just starting to be available to the world - 100 years after his time.

What We Covered:

• Nikola Tesla was a young mathematical mind with an inventive mother born in modern-day Croatia.
• The invention of AC Power - how this relates to AC vs DC and the battle with Edison to power our cities and how this resulted in the invention of the electric chair.
• The invention of wireless power, the induction motor, the "Tesla coil" and radio, x-ray, radiograph, neon signs, arc lighting (xenon headlights), and more. (There are 300 patents in his name with more credited in other's names).
• What technically is a robot?
• Why does Tesla not get credit for his inventions?
• The work he was doing had a lack of commercial application, which meant he had trouble getting traction until he started working with Westinghouse.
• What would have helped Tesla be more successful? Should Tesla have had a business partner? What is slow tech?
• Game Time: Fantasy Startup Team.
• The amount of work that Tesla did is still not fully understood. We are just starting to implement some of his inventions in our lives.