How Nikola Tesla came from nowhere and became world famous

The 75th anniversary of Tesla's death on January 7 provides a timely opportunity to review the life of a man who came from nowhere yet became world famous

Match the following figures – Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Guglielmo Marconi, Alfred Nobel and Nikola Tesla – with these biographical facts:

• Spoke eight languages
• Produced the first motor that ran on AC current
• Developed the underlying technology for wireless communication over long distances
• Held approximately 300 patents
• Claimed to have developed a “superweapon” that would end all war

The match for each, of course, is Tesla. Surprised? Most people have heard his name, but few know much about his place in modern science and technology.

The 75th anniversary of Tesla’s death on January 7 provides a timely opportunity to review the life of a