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Nikola Tesla: An Unsung Hero in the Invention of a Lightbulb

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If someone asks you who is the inventor of a lightbulb, your answer would probably be "Thomas Edison". But what if I tell you a story of a hidden scientist who made a crucial contribution to the invention of the lightbulb. His name is Nikola Tesla and he was born to be the "lightning".

Nikola Tesla




Early History of the Lightbulbs:

The only source of light, at the very beginning of life on Earth, was Sun. Humans learned to light fire by rubbing stones together. Yet, the only source of lighting or "electricity" was the thunder in the sky. It still is the only "natural" source of electricity. 

Since the early 19th century, many scientists invented the prototypes of lightbulbs with carbon filaments, that would glow when an electric current was passed through them. More bulbs were invented over the next years but none was successful to be used commercially. 

Joseph Wilson Swan, a physicist, in 1850, created a prototype of a light bulb with carbon filaments, enclosing them into a vacuum glass tube. The real problem was its lifetime that was too short to be used comfortably. 

An Ancient Lightbulb


Thomas Edison and His Patent to Improve Lightbulb:

Any scientist from now on, if becomes successful to improve the lightbulb to its best quality, would be called the inventor of the lightbulb. Thomas Edison, in 1878, signed a patent to improve the quality of lightbulbs. He was the founder of the "Edison Electric Light Company" where many scientists, physicists, and engineers were working very hard to develop an improved and final product but none succeeded at it. 


Thomas Edison


History of Nikola Tesla:

Nikola Tesla was born in Croatia in the year 1856. When he was born, there was a huge thunder and lightning in the sky and the midwife said that he will be the child of the storm to which his mother replied, "no, of light". Tesla's mother was a skilled inventor and invented things that would help her with her house chores. Inspired by his mother, Tesla wanted to become an inventor and a scientist too so he began to study hard all by himself. He was a skilled physicist and engineer without holding any formal degree.


Nikola Tesla with his mother.



Nikola Tesla Joined Edison's Company:

 In 1884, he went to the US to work as a practical engineer and joined Edison's company where already many engineers were working on a new patent for the lightbulb so Tesla began to work on it too.

AC VS DC War:

Nikola Tesla invented the AC Motor and wanted to showcase this idea of Alternating Current (AC) to the lightbulb but on the other hand, Thomas Edison was working with Direct Current (DC) on the lightbulb.
Later, Tesla left Edison's company and opened his own "Tesla Illuminating Company" where he was working on the same project as Edison. Failed and demotivated with his work, Edison began to realize that Tesla was right all along. AC was the main source of power for not only the lightbulbs but all the other electrical appliances as well. 

So, Who Was Successful in Winning the Title of the Inventor of Lightbulb?

The answer is of course Thomas Edison. Nikola Tesla became broke and changed hotels to hotels to live in and had many debts himself. Edison left no stone unturned to defame Tesla to win himself the title of the inventor and won the war of AC/DC. He used AC as suggested by Tesla but Tesla's name was nowhere to be found in the history of the invention of the lightbulb until now when many researchers throughout the world began to study the history of science and understood how the inventions came into being. 

What Happened to Nikola Tesla?

Nikola Tesla later signed a patent himself for Niagra Falls to develop a hydropower plant. He himself made many inventions that were truly remarkable like radar systems, X-Ray experimentations, etc. He even wanted to make electricity wireless but did not succeed at it. 

Nikola Tesla's words to his mother in a letter said:
"All these years that I have spent in the service of mankind brought me nothing but insults and humiliation".

The last photo of Nikola Tesla before his death.

Now, who do you think deserves real credit in this controversy? 




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