Nikola Tesla: Experimental Physicist

    Nikola Tesla was born during the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1856 and spent his childhood studying passionately, focusing particularly on mathematics and sciences.  Though his father wished for his son to join the priesthood, when Tesla received cholera he persuaded his father to allow him to attend Austrian Polytechnic School.  There he studied mechanical and electrical engineering.  During his studies, he began to formulate plans for an alternating current motor as an improvement to the direct current motors used for demonstrations in his classes.    

    His fascination with the idea of alternating current lead him to New York City to meet Thomas Edison to propose his plans for an AC motor, only to find resistance.  Ending with the false pretense to pay Tesla $50,000 for improvements to Edison's DC generation plants, Tesla left Edison and eventually patented his idea for an AC motor.  With investments from Mr. A.K.Brown, alternating current began challenging direct current, starting with Tesla Electric Company in New York.

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Photo Credit: http://www.neatorama.com/spotlight/2010/03/04/tesla-master-of-lightning/#!oA0PF