I can't seem to motivate myself to get off my ass.
So, Nikola Tesla. Show of hands, who heard of him? He was a scientist, back before the word was used to describe scientists. I'll make this one quick.
Short answer? You know how they make electricity somewhere, send it out over power lines, and it goes into your home and powers you lights, TV, etc? That was him. Long answer under the spoiler.
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
Tesla was a mad scientist. I don't mean that in a haha, that's guy's crazy kinda way. I mean late in his life, he fucked off to the middle of nowhere and tried to build death rays. He suffered from visual hallucinations, seeing odd sparks of light throughout his childhood. Tesla refused to take a bite of food until he measured its cubic volume in his head.
Tesla created AC power. It was a cheap, easy to transport electrical current. People no longer had to be concentrated near waterfalls and dams because it would be too expensive to move DC power around.
Thomas Edison created DC power. It was kinda crap. Edison's scientific credentials have been exaggerated over the years. He was best at two things: filing patents and working the public.
Edison wanted 100% of the power market share. He knew he couldn't' provide better or cheaper service, so he resorted to slander. Strong word? Edison held exhibits where he
electrified small animals so he could claim Tesla's power current was dangerous. Tesla was anti-death penalty, but he created the electric chair to fuck with Tesla.
Tesla would have lost the "War of the Currents." Ultimately, he gave up the bulk of his royalties in order to make sure AC power became the standard. He died impoverished, his name unknown to all of us today. His death ray plans are classified to this day.
I'm leaving out a ton of stuff. How Edison screwed him out of $50,000. How Marconi stole the Radio from Tesla. (Yes, the radio.) How Tesla created ball lightning, which we still don't know how to do. But you should look him up.
Why am I writing about this guy? Let me ask you a question. Who is Edward Jenner? Hold on.
Edward Jenner
There, now you can google search him. I'll wait.
We're built on a foundation we don't know anything about. I don't know enough about it. Tell me somebody I should know, but don't.
I didn't know Edward Jenner though, thanks for sharing that.
In regards to people you don't know but should, check out Alfred Nobel and why the Nobel Peace Prize exists, and also for something more modern, read Endgame by Derrick Jensen