Nikola Tesla: Master of Lightning

A man born in a storm, destined to command the currents that would power the modern world. This is the story of Nikola Tesla: visionary, genius, and tragic icon.

In this episode, we journey from the quiet hills of Smiljan, where a strange child obsessed with light and machines first saw the vision of Alternating Current, to the chaotic workshops of Gilded Age New York. We uncover Tesla's fiery but ultimately broken partnership with the reigning titan, Thomas Edison, which sparked the legendary War of the Currents.

It's a clash fought not just with inventions, but with propaganda, betrayal, and a battle for the soul of the 20th century. We explore how Tesla's AC system achieved ultimate triumph at Niagara Falls and the Chicago World's Fair, making him a celebrated hero.

But fame was fleeting. Driven by an audacious obsession to give the world free wireless power, we follow Tesla to the colossal, ill-fated Wardenclyffe Tower. His final years were marked by solitude, financial ruin, and eccentric visions of "death rays" and mechanical oscillators.

Tesla gave the world light, but died in darkness. We examine his dual legacy: the unseen architect of the electric age, and the mythic, misunderstood genius whose work is finally being fully realized today.

Support the show