MONDAYS, OCTOBER 6 THROUGH NOVEMBER 10 at 12 Noon

The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla

This course traces the life and innovations of Nikola Tesla, from his

early years and university studies in Graz and Prague to his

groundbreaking work in electricity and wireless technology. We will

explore his collaborations and rivalries, including his work with

Thomas Edison, the “War of the Currents” between AC and DC

power, and his partnership with George Westinghouse, which led to

the lighting of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

Key topics include Tesla’s telautomaton invention, his wireless

experiments, and his race against Marconi in the development of

radio. We will examine the Wardenclyffe—Tesla’s ambitious

wireless transmission tower, his work during World War I with

Telefunken, and his interactions with Franklin Roosevelt. We will

conclude with Tesla’s later-life invention of the particle beam

weapon, his negotiations to sell it to the Allies during World War II,

and the mystery surrounding his secret papers after his death