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Nikola Tesla

Mentioned 5 times across 2 podcasts this week

This Week's Pulse

While no new developments have occurred for Nikola Tesla in the last two weeks, podcasters are revisiting his history to define the roots of modern industrial conflict. American History Tellers host Lindsay Graham highlights how Nikola Tesla first grasped the future of power, noting that, "Gramme's new dynamo system demonstrated that motors could also be powered by a continuous generator, and this meant that the power source could be located far away from the motor."

The narrative surrounding his professional life emphasizes a cycle of exploitation. Lindsay Graham paints a stark picture of the inventor's financial vulnerability, explaining that investors "simply reorganized the business to suit themselves, cutting Nikola Tesla out of the process and taking ownership of the patents he had handed over in exchange for shares that turned out to be worthless."

Beyond the boardroom, the shows place Nikola Tesla within the broader labor unrest of the late 19th century. American History Tellers notes that the intense friction between Thomas Edison and his workforce mirrored the instability that defined the period, as "this labor unrest soon spread to the country's fast-growing electrical industry as well."

Where it's discussed

Edison vs. Tesla | Work of the World | 2

American History Tellers

Lindsay Grahamneutralfrom “Nikola Tesla's Breakthrough”

The central figure who struggles with his health and obsession while developing a new electric motor design.

“Gramme's generator was the latest development in European electrical innovation. For years, rudimentary electric motors had run on batteries, which provided only limited power. But Gramme's new dynamo system demonstrated that motors could also be powered by a …”

Lindsay Grahampositivefrom “The Labor Struggles of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla”

An electrical engineer who struggled to find work after leaving Edison's company and eventually secured funding for his alternating current system.

“than fifteen thousand striking streetcar drivers clashed with police as they fought for a shorter workday and a minimum wage. Then, on May fourth, 1886, a deadly bombing and police shooting at a labor protest at Chicago's Haymarket Square killed more than ten …”

Lindsay Grahampositivefrom “The Professional Rivalry of Tesla and Edison”

An innovative inventor who sought to prove the superiority of alternating current despite facing professional setbacks and exploitation by his employers and investors.

“that Tesla had a proven and marketable invention. But when Tesla pushed his investors to look beyond arc lights toward his AC motor, they had no interest. Once the Rahway installation was complete, they simply reorganized the business to suit themselves, cutti…”

Lindsay Grahampositivefrom “The Rise of Tesla and the War of Currents”

A Serbian immigrant and brilliant inventor who developed the polyphase alternating current system.

“Shortly after Thanksgiving, eighteen eighty-six, residents of Buffalo, New York were amazed to see a new and glorious sight downtown, their business district lit up with electric light. Many assumed it was the work of Thomas Edison, the famous inventor who had…”

Edison vs. Tesla | Prometheus’ Fire | 1

American History Tellers

Lindsay Grahamneutralfrom “The Early Life and Rivalry of Edison and Tesla”

An inventor who championed alternating current and became a major competitor to Thomas Edison.

“Nikola Tesla arrived in New York. And though he was initially a devoted admirer of Edison's, the two men soon became competitors. Tesla championed a fundamentally different approach to delivering electricity, alternating current or AC, which he believed was fa…”