Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison made major advancements in the field of electrical currents. But which inventor made the greatest contributions to the industry? Tesla made inventions like the widely used alternating currents, radar technology, and other crazy ideas such as a death beam. In comparison, Edison was successful with using amazing direct currents, the useful phonograph and improved the stock ticker with his universal stock printer. They were both famous inventors with very interesting backgrounds. Nikola Tesla was born July 10, 1856 in the town of Smiljan, Croatia. He was one of five children. According to Biography.com, Tesla got his inspiration from his mother, Djuka Mandic, who made small household appliances in her spare time (Editors). Milutin Tesla, his father, wanted Nikola to be a priest, but Nikola’s interest was with science. He studied at The Realschule, Karlstadt; Polytechnic Institute in Graz, Austria: and the University of Prague (Editors). Later, he moved to Budapest and worked at the Central Telephone …show more content…
Two years later, he found interest in alternating currents and made his own AC-based invention. His invention caught the eye of businessman, George Westinghouse, who purchased his patent for $60,000 in cash and stock (Editors). According to energy.gov, in 1883 at The World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (Chicago World Fair), Tesla demonstrated his AC system. Furthermore, to inventing the AC current and coil, he helped develop and design the idea of the dynamo (electric generators like batteries) and the induction motor. He was also helpful with pioneering radar technology, X-ray technology, remote control and rotating magnetic fields (Editors). Beginning in the 1910’s, he started going crazy and losing his mind. He talked about trying to build a “death beam” which caught the eye of the Soviet Union (Editors). Nikola Tesla died on January 7, 1943 at the age