3 MAIN MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT NIKOLA TESLA

1. Did Nikola Tesla invent Alternating Current (AC)? 

No, Nikola Tesla did not invent AC. It is a common mistake made by both critics and followers of Nikola Tesla that Tesla invented, or discovered AC. This page has never claimed such a thing. It is well known that Hippolyte Pixii was the first to discover AC in 1832. Pixii was an instrument maker from Paris who built an early form of an alternating current electrical generator (based on the principle of electromagnetic induction discovered by Michael Faraday), and he started a new industry in power transmission. Without going into too much historical detail, Tesla was not the first to discover or invent an AC motor, but he was the first inventor to discover the rotating magnetic field. This discovery revolutionized the transmission of power that is still utilized today, allowing AC to be more efficient in that it eliminated the commutator on older AC systems which caused friction and made for much difficulties in productivity. With Tesla’s discovery, the commutator was discarded, and the obstacles of friction were gone. This allowed AC to be able to compete with the opposing system known as Direct Current (DC), and made the system an even better value in commercial applications. Some may argue that others developed the rotating magnetic field before Tesla, but these are all false claims. Such claims were even made by the opposition of Tesla’s system during his time, but all failed to bring forth sufficient evidence and subsequently lost in court battles. One example was the claim that Galileo Ferraris discovered the rotating magnetic field before Tesla. Ferraris wrote a pamphlet in 1888, which appeared seven months after Tesla’s filed patent. However, his publication only described a split-phase motor, and after the courts analyzed and compared Ferraris’ system to Tesla's polyphase system, Tesla was given priority. Even if one says Ferraris discovered it prior to his publication, it could be said that Tesla discovered the rotating magnetic field in 1882 (3 years before Ferraris supposed discovery), and produced motors that same year. Ultimately, it all comes down the evidence, and why Tesla was awarded priority over everyone, including Schallenberger, Cabanellas, Brown and Dobrowolsky. Therefore, Tesla was indeed the pioneer who revolutionized the power system we globally still rely on today.  

2. Did Tesla really invent radio? 

Yes. Nikola Tesla is the true father of radio. Even if the U.S. Supreme Court didn’t rule that Guglielmo Marconi was using Tesla’s patents, it’s still an undisputed fact that Tesla created the radio as we know it today. As early as 1891, Nikola Tesla was giving lectures and demonstrations on the transmission of wireless energy preceding J.C Bose (1895), Alexander Popov (1895) and Marconi (1895) by three years. Tesla developed what is known as the “Tesla Coil”, which was used in all wireless transmission up until the late 1920s. However, Marconi has always been the main person who people claim invented radio - this is simply not the case. After Marconi’s system was examined, it was easily found that he was using Tesla’s four-tuned circuits that Tesla had previously patented. This confirms Tesla holds the rightful title as being considered the father of radio.

3. Did Nikola Tesla promote free energy? 

No. Tesla did not proselytize anything about free energy. This has been one of the toughest conspiracies to substantiate in that most of Tesla's followers believe that he wanted to provide “free energy" to the world. Yes, Tesla wanted to bring the world cheaper, and clean energy, but he never once said “free energy.” He has, however made statements referring to the notion of unlimited energy from the sun (and other suns in the galaxy from cosmic rays), but never any claims regarding zero point energy or procuring energy free of expense. Perhaps if his world wireless system had successfully been implemented, power costs would have been much less expensive and power could have been obtained at any point on earth; however; consumers would still have to subscribe to the provider and pay fees. Energy is not free, nor ever is likely to be.