While this cartoon looks silly to us today, there was a time when cables (electrical, telephone, and telegraph wires) were all suspended from high poles, buildings, and bridges.
During the late 19th century, the spread of arc lamps for street lighting (3,000 volts) led to many people dying by coming into contact with their high-voltage lines. It also didn't help that grounding wasn't well understood or strictly followed during this time.
The term electrocution was coined in 1889 in the U.S. to initially refer to electrical execution and not accidental electrical deaths. However, since there were no other words to describe non-judicial deaths, the definition of electrocution expanded to encompass any sort of death by electricity.
In 1899, Nikola Tesla conducted experiments in his Colorado Springs laboratory alongside his Tesla coil known as the "Magnifying Transmitter." This remarkable device generated millions of volts of electricity. The accompanying photograph, taken by Stefano Bianchetti, captures the Tesla coil in action through a double exposure technique.
Tesla's groundbreaking invention, the Tesla coil, marked a significant milestone as the first artificially generated lightning. He employed this invention in various experiments and demonstrations, showcasing its potential in wireless power transmission and the creation of electrical arcs.
Nikola Tesla, a renowned inventor and electrical engineer, made groundbreaking contributions to the field of electricity and magnetism during his lifetime. He was responsible for numerous inventions and concepts that shaped the modern world, such as alternating current (AC) power systems. However, despite his remarkable achievements, Tesla's later years were marked by a decline in both his mental health and financial status.
As Tesla grew older, he faced a series of setbacks and challenges that ultimately led to his descent into poverty. Despite his brilliance, Tesla struggled to commercialize his inventions and secure long-term financial success. He faced fierce competition, legal battles, and difficulties in obtaining funding for his ambitious projects. As a result, he gradually fell into financial ruin, leading to a period of destitution in his later life.
During this time, Tesla became increasingly isolated and detached from society. He chose to live in cheap hotel rooms rather than in more comfortable accommodations, often unable to afford necessities. Tesla's social circle shrank, and he found solace primarily in the company of his beloved pigeons. He developed a deep bond with these birds and would often spend hours observing and caring for them.
Another notable aspect of Tesla's later life was his developing obsession with the numbers 3, 6, and 9. Tesla believed that these numbers held a significant cosmic and metaphysical importance. He assigned mystical properties to them and claimed that they held the key to understanding the universe's secrets. This obsession with numbers, along with his other eccentric behaviors, contributed to the perception of Tesla as mentally unstable during his final years.
Ultimately, Nikola Tesla passed away alone and impoverished on January 7, 1943, in a New York hotel room. Despite the hardships and challenges he faced toward the end of his life, his contributions to science and technology continue to be recognized and celebrated to this day. Tesla's visionary ideas and inventions have had a lasting impact on the modern world, and his legacy as one of history's greatest inventors remains intact.
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