When we think of the greatest inventors that existed by the end of the late 19th and early 20th, many famous names come to our mind, among them Thomas Edison, John Logie Baird and Guillermo Marconi, but there is one scientific that despite his monumental inventions, has been often overlooked, nearly forgotten, his name was Nikola Tesla and he was the father of Lighting. .
Tesla was born on July 10 1856, in the Village of Smiljan, province of Lika, Croatia. "His father was a stern but loving Orthodox priest, who was also a gifted writer and poet. At a young age, Tesla immersed himself in his father's library. Tesla's mother was a hard working woman of many talents who created appliances to help with home and farm responsibilities" . .
Nikola was always interested in becoming an engineer, but he was opposed by his father ideas, who wanted him to enter to the priesthood. When he was about to turn eighteen, he contracted cholera and almost die, yet, he was smart enough to make his father promised him to attend the Austrian Polytechnic School at Graz.
It was Tesla Highest ambition and most ardent wish to come to America in order to try to get his Alternant Current motor working, he had previously failed in Germany and France and thought the only man who could help him to achieve his dream was Thomas Edison. He landed in New York in the year of 1884, carrying a recommendation letter from one of Edison's associate in Europe. .
Putting their differences aside, Edison hired Tesla to improve the performance of his direct current motors (Edison had built his business on DC motors, therefore any talking on alternating current, was like an offence to him). Edison promised Tesla a reward of $ 50,000 if he could succeed in his project, a few months later, when Tesla completed his task, went to Edison's office in order to get his payment, but unluckily Edison's laugh and told him that he was only joking when he offered him such of contract.
