Between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla are two of the most important inventors of our times. They are responsible for the warmth and comfort we enjoy today. We wouldn’t have AC current, the gramophone and film without their efforts. Both were brilliant inventors and lived simultaneously. Their paths crossed more than once. We all know they were rivals. But, few people know why. We will answer some of these questions in this article.
Who has more inventions?
We will first discuss the number of inventions these masterminds created. It is often said that numbers don’t matter if you have an invention that can’t be beat by anyone else. Both of these individuals left a significant mark on the world. They both created something impossible to match and made the world a better place.
Edison set a new record for inventions. It is unknown how many inventions he made, but it is believed that he was responsible for close to 1300. Some of these inventions are still in use today, while others have not been as popular. While many people tried to make more things than he did, no one has come even close to creating the same number.
Tesla, on the other hand, did not create many inventions. However, his inventions, though smaller in number, have had a greater impact on the world. Experts believe that he created around 300 items during his lifetime. However, this number is not certain.
They have been competitive with each other since childhood.
Edison is remembered for the mechanical vote recorder and motion pictures. Tesla invented the radio transmitter, Tesla Coil and the AC electrical supply.
They wanted to show the world that they were better than one another, even though it wasn’t about the quantity of their creations.
Both started their inventions very young and both were dropouts. Thomas did not finish high school. Nikola left his University to pursue other interests that were more important to him than formal education. This shows that anyone can be an inventor and change the world’s course, regardless of their skills or formal education. InventHelp, for example, can help you patent what you’ve created, and teach you how to start something, regardless of your previous knowledge.
How did they get into this rivalry?
Let’s now talk about how this rivalry began and why there was a feud among the inventors.
Nikola was 10 years older than Edison, and Nikola knew a lot about Tesla. He also admired Tesla from afar for many years. They began collaborating in 1885, when Edison was 38 and Tesla was 29 respectively. Nikola applied to Thomas’ job, and Thomas initially agreed to pay Nikola a lot of money (roughly one million dollars in today’s currency) to help him improve his inventions, and create better things.
Thomas knew that his young employee was smarter and better than him in many ways, but he refused to acknowledge this and tried to downplay his inventions. Nikola didn’t know this at the time. He believed that cooperation would make them equals, that they could combine their brilliance and work together to make the world a better one.
Nikola was hired and made many improvements to Thomas’ inventions. Edison realized that Tesla had not only achieved his goals but also made improvements, so he ended their contract. Edison claimed that the entire agreement was a joke and that he wasn’t really serious about paying him one million dollars. He just stated that he would give Nikola a raise for doing the things he did.
Tesla was furious and decided to quit collaborating with Thomas. That was how the feud started. In short, Nikola’s hard work in inventing and improving the products was never paid for and he had no money to pay for them.
Nikola was able to fund his own venture and patent his inventions after their failed collaboration. They were both later part of the so-called War of the Currents, where Thomas supported the use of DC current and Tesla insisted that the AC current was the best. Edison propagated a lot misinformation about AC. This is why Nikola’s inventions didn’t succeed while he lived. Tesla’s legacy on the world was made years after his death. We still learn about and use the things he created.
These are the most important facts about their feud. Each aspect of the story has a deeper meaning. To understand the importance of both their works and how our lives would be if we didn’t have them, make sure to explore each.