Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, and futurist, designed the alternating current (AC) system that powers the modern world. Educated at the Austrian Polytechnic in Graz, he immigrated to the United States in 1884, briefly working with Edison before parting ways over technical disagreements.
Tesla designed the complete AC power system, including AC motors, generators, and transformers, winning the famous 'War of Currents' against Edison's direct current system. He invented the Tesla coil, held patents related to radio technology, and envisioned wireless power transmission, remote control, radar, and robotics—decades ahead of their time.
Tesla held approximately 300 patents worldwide and possessed extraordinary imagination, reportedly able to construct complete invention models and conduct 'virtual experiments' entirely in his mind. Though he died in poverty, his inventions laid the foundation of the entire electrical age. The SI unit of magnetic flux density, the tesla (T), is named in his honor.
