Tesla > Edison. When Tesla won the contract for ac/dc currents to light the Worlds Fair over Edison, Edison tried to screw him by not letting him use his patented "light bulb."
So what did Tesla do? Oh just invented his own, completely different type of light bulb. Ac/dc current became the dominant form of electric transmission from then on.
Edison also stole many of his ideas and worked with John D. Rockefeller, the wealthiest man in the world, to try to destroy Tesla.
To this day no one has built a full scale Tesla coil so his theory on wireless transmission of electricity has never been fully pursued.
I believe he did this in Colorado, transmitting power over something like 40 miles.
It's a nice thought but if we imagine the level of EMR being pumped out, not likely healthy. Not to mention the effect it might have on the radio dial.
Tesla was a true genius with an inborn grok of energy. In another story one of his devices (I don't remember what it was supposed to do) was so efficient it created an earthquake in Manhattan. Police came to his door (knowing who was likely behind it) to find him hacking at the little machine with an axe.
To this day, stagehands will refer to an AC cord as an "Edison", which always strikes me as bizarre since AC was Tesla's idea and Edison fought it tooth and nail. Electronics makes for strange traditions.
"Tesla > Edison" - agreed. Edison was practical but Tesla was inspired. My ex-GF's father (still living) worked for Edison. Said he was a bastard.
"Prodigal Genius" by John O'Neill is a good read.
