Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was born on July 9, 1856, in the Lika region, which is now part of Croatia. From a young age, Tesla showed an aptitude for electricity. He began his educational journey in his birthplace, later moving to Graz, Austria, and then to Prague, Czech Republic. By the time he graduated, he had already developed the alternating current generator. Consequently, he moved to Paris and took a job at Thomas Edison's company, where he attempted to help the company complete the city lighting project in Strasbourg. However, it wasn't long before the two great inventors became adversaries. Edison proposed that Tesla work with him, determined to fully exploit their ideas, and promised Tesla substantial financial rewards if he helped achieve his goals. When Tesla eventually succeeded, Edison did not keep his word. Tesla, on the other hand, expected Edison to neglect his own research to financially support Tesla's ideas. As a result, Tesla left Edison's company and established his own, named Tesla Electric Company. Thus, while Edison was striving to succeed with direct current technology, Tesla was battling with alternating current. Thanks to Tesla, the Chicago World's Fair was illuminated in 1893, and a hydroelectric power station was created in 1895. Additionally, Tesla impressed the public by passing alternating current through his body without harm and lighting electric lamps with his fingertips. Tesla fell victim to businessmen and speculation. In the later years of his life, he was unemployed and impoverished. He died of a heart attack on January 7, 1943, in a New York hotel.