Who knows where we would be if he were allowed to continue his experiments in wireless power.

My Hero

one of the smartest men mankind has ever seen its ashamed he died with all his ideas in his head. but thanks nikola for all you did.

he managed to develop wireless in the early 1900's. Rightly said by KillerUT, just imagine where we would be if he were allowed to work on that technology......

I heard his wireless electricity transmitters were prohibited because there was no way to meter billing--thus, the free electricity would not be profitable---thus, capitalism stomped out the idea...

You rock Google! Tesla is the man!

p.s. Among many other things, he invented radio - not Mar... (don't even want to mention his name) He was the Mozart of inventing! better than Mr. Edi...! (same deal)

Anyway, Thanks Nikola! The world is a better place because of you!

He managed to do that in early 1900's. Rightly said by KillerUT, just imagine where we would be if he were allowed to work on that.

Tesla was a brilliant man who like many brilliant scientific minds, was not able to understand and anticipate the cold calculating thought processes of men like Thomas Edison, a conniving individual who by many accounts did Tesla wrong a number of occasions. Happy Birthday Nikola.

Today's pic is so cool!!! It really intrigued me.

Isn't it lightning ROD?

Truly a great man. Thanks Google!

Teslas Ideas were stolen by the FBI/Government when he died, his safe was raided before the body was cold. How did he die you may ask? Is it as clearcut as they would have you believe?

He was my countryman. Imagine the world without powerlines, plugs and converters, airplanes that do not need fuel, he did that but no one wants something like that (can't carge people for electricity without a meter). An eccentic genius that if his accomplisments where to be compared to past "history figures" (Einstein, Galilleo, Openheim, Nicola Copernik, etc.) all go to oblivion just by thinking on his work on electricity which by the way is only one of the fields that he was working on. So, next time you talk on cell thank Nikola for it. :)

You rock google...for all that you do. Happy Birth Day Nikola

Many thanks Nilola, you have brought us a greater way of life with many of your ideas and inventions. Your only problems were, capitolism and being way ahead of your time. Rest well great inventor, we will remember you always.

Nikola Tesla was a genius in ever sense of the word. Too bad that he was so overly generous that people *cough*Edison*cough* took advantage of him and took credit for his inventions.

Yah Google. Tesla definitely deserves props.

Cela Srbija je ponosna na našeg Nikolu Teslu!!!

Thank-you Google for recognizing one of the greatest inventors ever. I have been teaching HS science for 26 years and still find that most of our youth do not know who Tesla is and what he contributed to our lives. Top 10 in my book.

i only heard of him recently. I am intrigued and only wish his ideas were to come to fruition.

Thanks Google, for remembering such a great person to everyone.

I love Nicola Tesla, i think if he and Einstein and other could work toghether.... OMG !!!!

All i can think of is the infamous Tesla Coil in the computer game Red Alert. What great times that game provided. Love the graphic!

Do you people seriously believe that he was really going to create wireless power? You clearly know nothing about physics. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm just saying there's a reason he didn't create wireless electricity. It's not possible. Seriously, call up a university's physics department, and ask how you can get in touch with someone who could answer any questions you have about electricity. Bring all your "proof" that Tesla was on to something. He'll tell you why it doesn't make sense. Seriously. Most professors would generally be willing to answer questions, even if you're just some random guy. Don't tell him you're going over there to blow his mind about Tesla, he'll think you're crazy and hang up.

Reading a bunch of pages about a conspiracy theory is not the same as researching the topic.

...and if you believe that every single expert on electricity is in on some worldwide conspiracy, you're beyond help. You couldn't possibly have a grasp on reality.

I have few enough real-life role models, but Nikola Tesla is right up there near the top. Thanks, Google, the world needed that. :)
Slante mhath!

...and I probably wouldn't know who Tesla was if it weren't for the band, Tesla. Tesla rocks and so does Nikola!

I Thank God for Telsa and his ability to not only dream, but act! The dreamers are the ones who can take us further...if only we all let them sleep a while longer... :-)

Ha! I thought that was some new word so I actually Googled lightning rode.
Nope - not a new word!

Tesla along with George Westinghouse are credited with developing AC transmission and distribution as we use today. Edison had the DC idea, however Tesla devloped the AC generators that gives us the AC we use today. He really is the father of electricity

NONE OF US NEED ELECTRICITY!!
THIS COMMEMORATION IS POINTLESS!

What is a lighting rode?

BY FAR ONE OF THE GREATEST MEN TO WALK THIS EARTH, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE NIKOLA TESLA. THANK YOU NIKOLA TESLA FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALONG TOOK A STEP FORWARD FOR MANKIND!

One of the greatest inventors of all time ... Died right here in NYC 3 blocks from where I am now. Sad lonely ending for a great mind and man!

BY FAR ONE OF THE GREATEST MEN TO WALK THIS EARTH, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE NIKOLA TESLA. THANK YOU NIKOLA TESLA FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALONE TOOK A STEP FORWARD FOR MANKIND!

Tesla was a genius. Edison was a crook.

people should be aware of this great man and scientist. tesla should get much more recognition in the world for what he was doing during his life and what is going on now in science which was based on his ideas and anticipations...

He Was born in my home town in Croatia and I went to his middle school called NIkola Tesla in Knin.

Awesome! Thanks, Google, for commemorating him.

Great Work Google!! Happy Birthday Tesla!!

I have always been intrigued by his work, I really appreciate his brilliance. It angers me so much that greed is more common than greatness. We would be in a much better place as a world if we were allowed real advancements such as his work in human kind. Instead we are crushed and controlled before anyone has a chance to free us.. Sleep well Tesla you and your courage are missed.

Happy birthday NIKOLA TESLA. you are simply great.

Thank you Nikola Tesla, god bless!

Tesla invented or pioneered AC motor, AC electricity, AC generator, 110V 60 Hz AC standard, neon and florescent lighting, radio, Tesla coil, cathode ray tube amongst other things while having his ideas stolen and repackaged by Edison, Westinghouse and Marconi; having his lab burned down under mysterious circumstances, being publicly humiliated and shamed and most people don't even know his name. That's how business men and capitalists treat true heroes and visionaries. Use them up and spit them out.

A great Serbian-American Inventor who gave it his all to his country and the world without regard to personal gain! Thank you Nikola for our everyday conveniences we take for granted.

One of my good friends is a relative of Nikola Tesla! :) This is awesome/fun to see. An amazing and interesting mind for sure.

Rock On Nicola!! Let's do a Quantum-Com Leap onto his cognition track.

Happy Birthday Tesla!

One of America's greatest minds! Thank you Google for Tesla's recognition as father of AC and radio.

to whoever desig- the logo, it is really cool, great job!

Happy Birthday!!! Mrs. Tesla, my great friend!!!!

Totally proud to be a Serb today! I love walking around Niagara Falls and being able to see places where he stood. Brilliant man!

At Jon who stated "Do you people seriously believe that he was really going to create wireless power? You clearly know nothing about physics."

Before you create a long winded post about how stupid the idea of wireless electricity is... you may want to climb out of your box and start researching yourself. If you had done this, you would have discovered that a University in Japan has discovered a method of wirelessly transmitting electricty. This is not just a lab experiment either, they have successfully transferred wireless power at a distance of more than 60 miles. I don't care about conspiracy theories, but it does make me sick to here someone such as yourself say something in physics is not possible. How many times do you think some bumbling idiot has said it was impossible to do something? If you're going to pretend to know something about physics, it might be wise to do some research yourself.

My fellow Yugoslavian was a genius. Happy 153rd Birthday, even though art in heaven.

Isn't this the guy from the Six Flags commercials??? Makes me laugh!
"your velcome!" lol

MY BALLS ITCH

Happy Birthday Tesla....
Thanks to Google for keeping him alive and remembering his contribution, you rock !

Thanks Thomas Edison and Westing house for being huge douches !

Happy B-Day Nic !

Thanks to Google and Search Engine Roundtable, for remembering such great person to everbody.

Jon, they already have wireless power,http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2087437,00.asp

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/mits-wireless-electricity-demoed-dubbed-witricity/

Don't worry I'm not going to bash you, just have an open mind or maybe take your own advice and call a professor first.

THANK YOU Google for highlighting this true hero....the Prometheus to our modern world. It is men like him who make our life easy and possible, the scientific geniuses who are often overshadowed by vaucous so-called 'celebrities' of the world. Happy 153rd Birthday Nikola - you will not be forgotten!

Einstein's theory of relativity was debunked by Tesla in 1925. Too bad the "SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY" wouldn't recognize this Serbian genius because his ideas are way too advanced for their feeble minds to comprehend.

Google has this most awesome feature to commemorate worthy souls whose names would have been languished in the portals of laboratories or in some crevices of intellectual minds. But ordinary people like me need to be reminded and re-reminded of extraordinary minds every so often, and remembering Nikola Telsa is one. Thank you Telsa for all you have done and thank you Google for reminding me.

In regards to Jon stating wireless electricity is not possible: If it isn't possible, why does it commonly exist?

Induction is wireless electricity. Transformers are wireless. Outright wireless electricity transmissions have also been done with ~80% efficiency.

Also at Jon: What about intel's work at re-creating the process? duh, it on all the tech news sites, and what about the photo of him holding the lightbulb that's lit up - with no wires attached! It really is old news and not something made up. A 2 second google search would prove that. Um, and I am a physicist, and do know the process and how it works - too much to go into right now, but again - educate yourself.

And at Amish - um, how were you able to post your comment without electricity??? oops, maybe we do need it? :)

I think the only "wireless electricity" has been the beaming of microwaves from point to point to power objects. For instance, they beamed microwaves at an RC aiplane with a collector on the bottom. They could keep it up for hours or days.. Thing is, whenever a bird flew in the path, it was cooked immidiately.. For REAL.. Telsa was a great inventor, I love the band and Google does ROCK!

Tesla was my insperation in making the power unit with no movment. some of the forgotten things are parts and peices from the Future.

I am presenting the life and work of Nikola Tesla today at my work. Google, I can't possibly tell you how happy I am realizing that I was not the only one remembering Nikola today.

kudos Google. Humanity was not yet ready to receive the knowledge of Tesla when we has here. Thus the phrase, ahead of his time. light-years. If he had continued his ideas and had free-reign of his concepts...can you imagine the devastation in concurring wars since his death? Would they have happened? who knows, but it's likely with our lack of consciousness in that era that they or others would have occurred.
A great man with wonderful ideas in an era of ignorance.

Physics can be changed in itself based on an event that previously could not be "allowed" by the knowledge we have today.. i bet there was a person just like you calling out foul to the possibility to cell phones, now a common day practice and even the lay man could explain the process to a certain degree, but given 50 or so years the physics we knew would not allow the possibility.. and i have no doubt if you read this you will try to rebuddle.. and most certainly will have some "reasonable" reasonable explanation... but b4 i stop lem me conclude with this.. tesla was facinated in the field of wireless energy and a certain some1 who he worked with said this: we can't work with this, there is no way to meter it. as some1 stated previously. keep teaching, maybe 1 day you will start inventing exploring and discovering, thank you all and appologies for rambling.

Great inventor! I remember as a kid being proud of having the same first name as him. We learned a lot about him in school.

Now if he could only clone my cat and hat with electricity in the middle of the woods...maybe I wouldn't have to drown my self over and over...

Google is so efficient- great infromation on special people - we love Google !

Without Tesla's genius, we might still be using Edison's crude DC instead of the present current system developed by Tesla, namely AC.
The government keeps talking about an "improved power grid" BUT if they were smart and followed Tesla's lead of wireless transmission of electrical energy, we wouldn't need any kind of power grid. Electricity IS in the air: it just needs to be captured with Tesla's technology! With ALL of the computer technology we have today, we STILL use a system that pretty much dates back to the early days of the telegraph: that is power lines and poles all over the landscape. Special interests at work, as usual.

Hope we eventually get to wireless transmission of energy.

I don't understand why Tesla is not talked about more in schools like they talk about Edison. Props to you Tesla, you were a man light years ahead of your time. The world just wasn't open-minded enough yet for you. See you on the other side my friend.

Thank you Google, for remembering such a great Serbian-American Inventor/Genius.

Happy birthday NIKOLA TESLA!!

Nikola Tesla I bow to him in honour!!!
IF only he was not manipulated for and by MONEY.
Mankind would be a century ahead in technology and the words Carbon Offset would not be in our Vocabulary!!
It is Money we do not need not Electricity.
For the people who said you clearly know nothing about physics and wireless electricity is not possible...
You have been lied to your whole life and what they teach you isn't really the total truth, try it your self throw the text book out the window and go out on a limb.
Over unity and Free energy do exist!!
Thank you Google for trying to make this great man known to the world :D

I respect your ideas that tesla (among others) may have been forced to end his research before his prime but I doubt it was because of government conspiracies/capitalism. Any corporations/government have no problem finding ways to regulate new technologies. They've been doing it to us for all of our life times.

Yet, I thank the efforts of Mr. Tesla and congratulate him on this day of his birth.

Again, Big A, read the two posts by the two Steve's - it says it all, well said you two!

In the quantum world where the electrons travel, there are no wires. Um, and did any one think about lightning?? or sparks from static? that is a movement of electrons (current) from place to another. So before you say there is no wireless "electricity" get some definitions understood. What he did was create a huge potential and use that to induce a current within the field - not that complicated, really. Electricity 101. (whispered)kid of how radio works - wink wink nudge nudge. :)

my favorite google logo by far!!

oops, I meant 'kind' of how... sorry

History shows us that genius alone can't drive you all the way down the road.
Tesla had the imagination to create his inventions, but not the business acumen to make them profitable. The ruthless economic climate of early electric power distribution
eventually dragged him down.
FYI: Go to Niagara Falls, and see the 2 impressive statues of this inventive giant!

Sadly, Tesla died completely alone. He was brilliant but paranoid and an unstable personality. Mental health wasn't very well understood in his day and despite this he accomplished greatness.

Actually, DC is superior to AC. So much so that if you were to go to areas with long transmission lines the current flowing through it will be DC. The only thing AC had going for it was that stepping up and stepping down the voltage is easy compared to DC. It is a moot point nowadays. I agree with everyone who thinks that wireless transmission of energy is a pipe dream.

Thanks Google for your advancements and recognition of Nikola Tesla inventions and accomplishments (wireless technology, free energy for the world (not used today?), internet, radio, ac motor, lights, transportation of electricity, and many more …
Video – in a nut shell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt8Y93k0pB0

CON-Edison.
Get it? hahaha.
The con of the century.
Capitalism smashes utopian possibilities. Aliens that cross bred with apes wont have that so they crush us with the 7 deadly sins. They need us to mine the natural resources of this planet. Slave labor. Just a bunch of dumb chimps fighting for money? And what good is money this universe or the next? haha. A slippery slope into dystopia.
Chariots of the Gods people. Wake up. Put aside your religions and your insecurities. Help out your fellow man. Let Karma work.

His work on the flux capacitor was outstanding! I never would have kissed my mom if it wasn't for him.

TESLA TURBINE LETS ROLL THE PRESTIGE!

Thanks CLF, I did say "I think" and after a quick google search http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/132/brilliant.html was found. Very cool. I'm sorry to have ruffeled your feathers. I'll do up a cool GOOGLE logo dedicated to CLF for tomorrow. Move over Telsa, CLF is my new hero.

@ schwen: so true, and sad.

@ Adam: you sir need to do some serious reading. um, part of the reason we have ac is that it is better and more efficient for long distances, which is why edison hired Tesla and used (stole) his ideas, duh. get your facts straight before posting.

To JON: Wireless energy transfer is happening all the time. I start with Einstein - E = mc2, that E is for energy and m for matter. Then we have something called wikipedia - try there this - Wireless energy transfer and you will be suprised. Radio, TV, mobiles - everything is energy transfer - just realy small. Also sun, ligth, everything is energy man. Or try think what microwave oven realy does or laser. Intel come last year with new technology for charging mobiles, notebooks wirereslly, except they repeated 110 year old Tesla experiment (Wiki - WiTricity). I did not belieev in conspiracy. But man, you live with your eyes closed, hope I can help you open them.

Thanks Google, Happy Birthay Tesla!

Sure, everyone has nice things to say now. He died pennyless. During his last years he was forced to live off the meagre charity of others. The govenment stiffed him, Edison stiffed him and industry stiffed him. His contribution to the world is immeasurable.

KillerUT, we are there. You just do not see it in your everyday life:)! But the process con't.

ha, david bowie impersonation was aswome!!! every must see the movie: The Prestige

This is an amazing picture, who created this logo? Google rocks!

Science is but a perversion of itself unless it has as its ultimate goal the betterment of humanity

Don't forget HAARP, (as tested in Alaska www.haarp.net) both for submarine communication, long distance communication around the curvature of the earth, and 'perhaps' the other uses. (weather control and to affect people, but this was still being experimental, NOT COMPLETELY PROVEN)
p.s. for a simple demo of wireless transmission of electricity, try AM crystal radio. The energy to drive the speaker comes from the AM transmitter station, the receiver (crystal set) does not need batteries.

*THE* Greatest American inventor of all time. He worked for Edison and helped him perfect DC to make it commercially viable. He is the father of AC, Wireless, Wireless transmission of power (as pointed out above finally getting serious research and shown to be not only possible but viable). Inventor of the first unmanned radio controlled submarine! The list goes on and on! The world would be so much better were we able to harness what he had.

Big A - sorry if I flamed a little - I'm just a little passionate about this. I feel the man was a genius, but sadly robbed of his noteriety and the injustice is disappointing. Good link, by the way! and I think my feathers are back down now :)

I stole his idea for my engine.

To be fair, wireless energy is highly inefficient and requires ground to complete the circuit. This means that anything that conducts electricty and is grounded (including humans) is absorbing high voltage. its been found that prolonged exposure to high frequency high voltage passing through tissue does have negative effects.

CLF, we're good. I just hope the wireless transmission doesn't make our hair look like the girls in the top pic. I seem to remember the many time I've had mine stand up while touching the top of the telsa generator..

Wow, that's awesome!

Hey, Google, why do you commemorate this, but did nothing for National Prayer Day????????????????????????????????

He was the genius that this planet will not have it again.Wireless power transfer was successfully implemented but all the paperwork and tower were destroyed by TESLA.Without him we will not have all the goodies of the modern life.The most intelligent SERB from Croatia.

PS As I remember Einstein did wrote the formula but TESLA actually practically DID IT!!!!

everyone respects nikola tesla even in fallout 3

Most posters claiming wireless electricity is here right now are wrong. What they fail to appreciate is that this is inductive coupling, and the charger is actually wired to a power source.

Additionally, inductive coupling has a distance limitation. For example, these chargers that people talk about as well as the link someone provided only work when the device is in close proximity to them.

The claim that someone made about transmitting wireless electtricity 60 miles is probably a typo - try 60 inches instead.

And let's be clear about this on Tesla's birthday - He had a great mind and was probably one of the most influential people in this country when it comes to his creations being relevant to the growth of this country.

Seriously people, if wireless transmission was a better way I would have "stolen" that too. Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Mike.

@CarbonLifeForm
Wrong. Look up High Voltage Direct Current on Wikipedia and you'll find out the reason why Tesla won out. DC is superior in transmitting electricity but not in regards to working with it.

It is really amazing that Google makes something for Tesla's Birthday, he has been the best inventor of all times, I just wish they would take Wardencliffe site and make an Historical site instead of some photo company owning the building

Edison & Tesla were both geniuses. They worked together for a while as did Westinghouse. Edison had the edge on entrepreneurship. Tesla's AC was more pratical for residential power while DC is widely uesd also.

Tesla was a brilliant man, Google made a great pick, The Prestige is a great film, cheers everybody, peace ;-)

Yep, our society is constantly being brain washed by alcoholics and hate-mongers like me. We divide and conquer; capitalism is a means for us to steal from you. Everyday we make and add new laws to the books to keep you contained. Every law preached and drafted by congress is designed on how to hurt and harm you, society, not to help you. When is the last time we passed laws to help the homeless or the poor? But just last week we passed a system that will keep track of you, where you work and what you do in the name of Oh’ the dreadful Mexicans. And you society, you applaud for us. Nicola Telsa was one such victim; use and throw away. We made plans in the back rooms to assure the fellow is stopped from inventing other items and opportunities are denied to him that could potentially give the poor and the middle class applauder the upper hand. And every time you cheer for Glen Beck, the Dobbs dude, Hannity and other Fox hatred drummers, remember you are applauding against inventions, humanity, peace, and yes for your own very misery.
N. Telsa you rock, Google you rock!

the problem with humanity is we live on emotions and not directives. it would be wonderful if our directives were the betterment of mankind but thats impossible because we are a species jaded by irrelevant emotions. Emotions that are a direct result of a lack of proper nurturing and compassionate handling by those who brought us into this world. Slippery slope trying to reverse the thought process of billions of free thinking species. Who's the puppeteer?
Chariots of the Gods people

Thanks Google for reminding us of this great mind and of many unfinished projects from which we could definitelly profit since debates like this could spark some new inventions.

The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, HAARP site is http://www.haarp.alaska.edu

Homage to Nikola Tesla by Google is amzing.
He was the father of three phase distribution that rightly eclipsed our great inventor Edison.
Tesla made Westinghouse a millionare. I am proud to be part of the Tesla team. Long live electriciy!

Tesla, that band rocked......oh wait wrong Tesla.
Nikola Tesla rocked as well.

OK, who shook the liberal(posing as FB) out of the tree? Imagine a country where everybody worked to support the greater good instead of feeling entitled to reap the earnings of other peoples hard work.

RE: amish person July 10, 2009 @ 9:33...
AH! The enlightened, non-electric Amish, armed now with, I would guess, water-powered computers. Gotta love it! Back to reality: Thank you, Mr. Tesla.

This may surprise some people-- residential direct current was not totally phased out in New York City until ***2007*** ! http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/off-goes-the-power-current-started-by-thomas-edison/

Happy B'Day Nikola.
Without Tesla, we would be googling by candle light!

Happy Birthday Nikola Tesla

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1LqxG49DLk

so good.I like this

Hey folks, by the way, d'ya know that Tesla himself and his great developments are depicted in the last year's PRESTIGE movie? I'd say, Tesla's coil producing all those spectacular lightning bolts became a special character of the movie.

Hey folks, by the way, d'ya know that Tesla himself and his great developments are depicted in the last year's PRESTIGE movie? I'd say, Tesla's coil producing all those spectacular lightning bolts became a special character of the movie.

Sweet. Tesla deserves more attention than he got..without him there wouldn't be electricity. a genius that was 100 years ahead of his time

In response to John saying wire-transfer of electricity is impossible, then why have three companies demonstrated it at CES 2009?? Tesla did this over a hundred years ago, among inventing and planning the system for A/C, remote control, radar, radio,etc. What have you done?

Great Scott !!! Without this guy, we may never have gotten the 1.21 jigowatts necessary to time travel! :-)

Tesla the Greatest scientist ever and if the government had not stopped him we would have a completely different world right now... free energy everywhere....

Nikola Tesla WAS CROATIAN not Serbian. He was born in the village Smiljan, which is in Croatia, making him therefore, Croatian. Even in the times of the Yugoslavia, you were either a Serb or a Croat. He was a Croat.

In one of their rare meetings, Tesla told Einstein on the docks right after they took the Philadelphia Experiment photo, "Remember, humans are only as smart as they can measure, so please keep building the measuring devices along with your theories."
You are one of the greatest humans that have ever walked this Earth.

for everyone winne'ing about wireless engery, (tho i'm sure your all still winne after my post anyways about it) *im just bored*

anyways wireless engery has existed for years in a few forms aint it wireless door bells,cell phone the wireless changing mats a few compies ware working on since about 5-10 years ago, and maybe we cant power large household items wireless yet tho probly in most of are life times well maybe maybe just everyone is and will keep to spending to much time winne'ing you cant do this any you cant do that instend of thinking that it takes time to work new things out, tho if the key people of telsa time didnt ignore and or steal his ideas for wireless power we probly would have it up to the point where it could power large household items by now, and not just power than but do it SAFELY and FREE to, oh wait there in lies the problems no one wants us to have free power so it wont happen, and or as someone said early to send wireless high voltage engery atm in danage to helth well you cant really have any idea for something new and it be 100% safe right away and all the 1000's of new ideas recalled every year for safey reason say that,

Sadly, sometimes the line between Renaissance and rejection is thin at best. Tesla was one of the tormented geniuses which are found strewn across history's line. His understanding of electricity, electromagnetics, and mechanics, failed to be passed on because of his lack of documentation. As a result, his genius was and is often referred to as lunacy. I suspect that had Einstein not recorded his work so well, he might also have shared a similar fate. Clearly Tesla was unafraid of presenting his ideas and was also unafraid of making colleagues angry. He was willing to stand up for his beliefs to his own hurt - something fairly lost these days. Much of his work is lost now and I think the world deprived itself of significant advancements which may be unrecoverable in the realizable future.

Thanks Google. I have been waiting for years to see a day when every American would know who Nikola Tesla was. With your help Google it might happen today. After hundred years people will recognized his deeds. The man who loved humane kind more then him self is born again today. Because of you Tesla I am proud to be Serbian. Happy birthday Nikola!

If only Tesla were able to see the outpouring of positive comments regarding his life's work. He is physics what Van Gogh was to art: dead before recognition. Although even today, it's a shame that his name isn't as easily recognized as those of his peers (mainly Thomas Edison). But in any event, thanks to the likes of Google, his name is being introduced to a new generation and his legacy will find a way to continue. Happy birthday, Mr. Tesla.

@ Adam: You should really read the entire article. Even they say that it has a disadvantage "in conversion, switching and control".

Kind of like saying trains are better than cars because they get better mileage, but ever try going anywhere in town in one, or parking it in your garage?

The point of having or making any thing is to be able to control and direct it, and a thing is better the more it can be adapted to any situation. which is why ac is better than dc and more widely used. We don't need to recreate the war of the currents which was won long ago by ac.

Be wary of putting all your faith in a collaborative and quasi-legitmate "source" such as wikipedia. that article was more propaganda than science.

It is very possible to create wireless power. If you are interested in this just contact Prof. Konstantin Meyl or visit his web site here
http://www.meyl.eu/go/index.php?dir=10_Home&page=1&sublevel=0

and start by watching the videos.

NIKOLA TESLA: U R ONE OF THE GREATEST INVENTORS WHO WALKED THIS EARTH.
AN EXCEPTIONAL GENIOUS WHO WAS FORGOTTEN BY THE WORLD.
I SALUTE U.

One, I am absolutely agreeing with all those who are saying that wireless energy is not only possible, but happening now, on larger and more effecient scales every day.

Two, if you are going to post something you believe to be of importance, or that you think might have a nugget of wisdom or intellgence, do yourself, and all of us a favor and use both proper spelling and grammer. Or at least make it seem like you're trying. A little punctuation never hurt anyone either. Thanks.

P.S. Red Alert, and the Prestige are both freakin' sweet, we need more things in pop culture raising awareness for a man so brilliant.

@CarbonLifeForm
Are you even reading my posts? You either have a really bad understanding of electricity or you just ignored my posts and decided to try to find any way to redeeme your idol Tesla.

@Adam
Are you even reading anything of value? AC is better than DC for all the practical reasons that matter. It could distribute more energy over longer distances with not only less loss of voltage, but less infrastructure requires to transport it. It would be naive to think that the fact that a complete DC electric grid would have made Edison and his company uncountable money wasn't a factor is Edison's support. In addition, the voltage required to run different items, is, obviously, different, and given DC's trouble with changes in voltage, it renders it impractical, rendering your definition of "better" highly subjective, and mostly wrong. Not only that but you agree with the people who think that wireless electricity is a pipedream? Do tell, what else do you deem a pipe dream? Flight? Space travel? Aliens? Nothing is a pipe dream forever. Nothing is impossible. Well, finding a girl who's normal, hot and single, that, is impossible. But other than that, on a long enough timeline, anything is feasible.

Thank you Google - I was so frustrated for years that you never celebrated Tesla's Birthday - one of the most cherished people in our entire history. So now Google - why not take some of your power and help bring some of Tesla's power systems to life! I can see the headlines now... "Google to provide Free Wi-Fi power to the planet" talk about a stock boost!! Godspeed

@CarbonLifeForm

Nice try. But there comes a time in the give and take of written communication when logic and reason resolve to empathy. If that doesn't exist, there is nothing of substance being communicated between you and Adam. It just happens sometimes. And I wonder... if these nascents could only listen to "Far Away Trains Passing" by Ulrich Schnauss, I wouldn't have anything more to say.

In the Tesla documentary, "Tesla, Master of Lightning", Nikola's mother is said to have fingers so nimble she could tie 3 knots in an eyelash. WOW. She was also portrayed as having invented several usefull household tools. Does anybody know what they were?

It looks like Adam and @CarbonLifeForm are having their own War of the Currents.

I think we're seeing a new high-powered form of spambot.

Dear, Laurice at July 10, 2009 10:57. Get you facts straight. Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943) was an inventor and a mechanical and electrical engineer. Tesla is an ethnic Serb born in the village of Smiljan, Vojna Krajina, in the territory of today's Croatia. He was a subject of the Austrian Empire by birth and later became an American citizen. So he is Serbian. Happy Birthday Nikola and we need to keep your theories alive and well.

GREAT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TESLA! DR. EDSON ANDRE' JOHNSON D.D.ULC HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

@Evan
Yeah I am reading plenty of stuff of value. Namely from my electrical engineer textbooks. And from IEEE. And from news reports about how they are building brand new DC distribution systems in the United States with the largest one off the coast of Long Island.

The greatest SERBIAN ever ,happy birth day!!!

Good, keep reading your textbooks and when you finally grow up and learn how the world works you'll understand that, for the most part, when something is commercially successfull, it's usually due to it also being more efficient, scalable, adaptable, and overall, better. You can't successfully market a square wheel, for very long, even if you can stack them better.

Let me expand on that last point a bit - the power companies are not philanthropic and providing distributed power for the masses out of the goodness of their hearts. They are in business to make a profit, that is, the net left over from total revenue minus total costs. Anything that will reduce costs will be done in a nanosecond, if it doesn't cost more to do so than they would get back. This process builds in efficiency and streamlining - if people who know what they are doing are in charge. And in the cutthroat world of compitetion in the utility business with the very thin profit margins they have, they will not ignore any method that will give a positive return (at least in the short run#.

So, anything can be done given enough time and money, e.g. the LHC, HVDC, boat made of toothpicks to sail the Atlantic, etc. HVDC is not widely used or adopted due to the enormous cost #and danger# of the equipment. #side note - study the explosive characteristics of DC equipment and its history, yet another bad point about dc#.

But not everything possible is practical or cost effective, or should be done, and therefore not used. There are only #it seems) a few very small and remote areas using HVDC and accout for a miniscule fraction of the total power consumption in the world. Being that dc was first and still used in anything portable and small, the technology is not unkown to the powers that be, or anyone else learning about electricity starting in grade school.

Bottom line: If it was better, it would be used more. Or at least my 20 years working for the utilities and getting a degree in nuclear physics and then an MBA has told me this, but then I may be wrong.

@CarbonLifeForm
Since when did the Hamptons become remote?

That's your response? Pretty weak. Oh well this really is a moot point. It is what it is as far as the state of power distribution and not worth any more time wasted debating. Tesla worked with both and he was a genius in either. That's the real point of this blog. so, whatever.

happy birthday sir, you great SERB:)They say u are croat, is that the one croat ustase fascist who killed your entire family,burn your village in WW2 just because u are Serb Orthodox

@Mirna- he was a SERBIAN, you fool. Both of his parents were Serbian, making him Serbian. if you are born on a boat over the Atlantic what would you be? what ever nationality your parents were. Duh.

Plus who cares what nationality he was, he was a great person that changed the world in a positive way :-)

Srecan ti rodjendan Nas Nikola!
Yes, agree with other people, his impact on humanity was huge. Well funded Scientific establishment (in US and around the world) from their armchairs undermine his idea and treat him as good engineer (even excentric). Question, how much money was spent around for energy based research of million experts in last century? Compare the amount with money spent on Tesla's work. Make simple conclusion, who is the men. Great idea and discovery is not something you can pay, or build. About nationality, all we should appreciate him, no mather he was serbian, american, german, indian... (for those who claim he was chroat- he was etnical serbian, born in Vojna Krajina (Austrian province)-today Croatia but he appreciated both Serbian nationality and Croatian matherland during Yugoslavian age). Finally, he is an american scientist-without american support some his ideas would probably never come out. Thanks everybody for comments. God bless!

ha! got the last word!
Nikola - Happy Birthday!

NIKOLA TESLA (born in Smiljan., 18561943), was a Serb-American physicist and electrical engineer, inventor of the radio and the electric motor and generator.he was born on 28 June (N.S. 9 July), 1856, to Father Milutin Tesla, a priest in the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitanate of Sremski Karlovci and Đuka Mandić
His mother Đuka , daughter of a Serbian Orthodox Church priest came from a family domiciled in Lika and Banija, but with deeper origins to Kosovo.

Tesla's funeral took place on 12 January 1943, at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in
Manhattan, New York City. His body was cremated and his ashes taken to Belgrade, Serbia, then-Yugoslavia in 1957. The urn was placed in the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade, where it resides to this day.

NIKOLA TESLA IS GOOD

@CarbonLifeForm
I just gave up arguing with you. First of all Tesla was an engineer who had no clue about the problems involved with transmitting AC power. That my dear friend goes to Olivier Heaviside.

without nikola we wouldn't of had tesla the rock band either

TESLA once said "present is yours but future is mine" that can become thru thanks to you google