Tag: Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity

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Nikola Tesla and Me – On Video

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Signing books 1-11-14On January 11, 2014 I attended the Second Annual Tesla Memorial Conference at the New Yorker Hotel in New York City. Sponsored by the Tesla Science Foundation, the conference celebrates the life of Nikola Tesla. While there I was interviewed on video by three different groups. Two of those interviews have been posted.

My first interview was with Teslavision.tv and Tesla Magazine. We talked about Nikola Tesla and my book Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can watch the interview here (click on my name below the video to get a full screen version):


David J. Kent – Scientist, Traveler, Abraham Lincoln Aficionado

The success of the book has been incredibly gratifying. More and more people are learning about Tesla. In fact, the theme of the conference was to develop a curriculum for teaching about Nikola Tesla in schools, and my book could play an important role in that curriculum.

The second video is called The Spirit of Tesla. Filmed and produced by James Jaeger, it provides a broader look at the conference. My interview with Marijana Vujkovic is featured throughout, with my first appearance at about the 3:00 minute mark.

I was happy and proud to have the chance to participate in the Tesla Memorial Conference for the second year in a row. I’m looking forward to the next conference in Philadelphia this summer, just in time for the release of the second printing of Telsa: The Wizard of Electricity in July. My ebook about Tesla’s advocacy of renewable energy is also due out in late May, so be sure to come back to check on progress.

More on the Tesla Memorial Conference.

David J. Kent is an avid traveler and the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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Nikola Tesla Seeks to Harness the Power of Nature

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Nikola Tesla was for renewable energy before it was cool to be for renewable energy.

“It seems that I have always been ahead of my time.”

From a young age he sought to harness the power of nature. He used the natural energy of June bugs to power his stick windmill. As a child he designed his first water wheel, then as an adult he fulfilled his dream by harnessing the hydroelectric power of Niagara Falls with his alternating current motors and transformers. Today he stands overlooking one of his greatest achievements.

Tesla statue overlooking Niagara Falls

Nikola Tesla overlooking Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. Photo by David J. Kent

Tesla often spoke of harnessing the energy of the sun, stating that fossil fuels were wasteful. As far back as 1891 he argued that “nature has stored up in the universe infinite energy.” To Tesla, “the eternal recipient and transmitter of this infinite energy is the ether.” That particular idea did not hold up to scrutiny, but he continued to look to nature.

One of the most thought-provoking documents of Tesla’s numerous writings was an article he wrote for The Century Illustrated Magazine, June 1900, which was edited by Robert Underwood Johnson. In a long and sometimes mystical treatise called “The Problem of Increasing Human Energy (with special references to the harnessing of the sun’s energy),” Tesla leaped ahead a hundred years by anticipating the need for renewable sources of energy to power our planet. He noted that “besides fuel, there is abundant material from which we might eventually derive power” and suggested that “an immense amount of energy is locked up in limestone, for instance, and machines can be driven by liberating the carbonic acid through sulfuric acid or otherwise.” He even claimed to have constructed such an engine and that “it operated satisfactorily.”

Terrestrial power

Tesla was so far ahead of his time that, while others at the turn of the twentieth century were busy exploiting coal, iron, aluminum, and drilling for oil, he was already recognizing the limits of those endeavors. He was into conservation. “Whatever our resources of primary energy may be in the future,” Tesla wrote, “we must, to be rational, obtain it without consumption of any material.” He believed that natural sources of energy could “eliminate the need of coal, oil, gas or any other of the common fuels.” One way was to harness the power of the wind.

“It is difficult to believe, but it is, nevertheless, a fact, that since time immemorial man has had at his disposal a fairly good machine which has enabled him to utilize the energy of the ambient medium. This machine is the windmill.“

[The above is adapted from Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. I explored more of Tesla’s adventures in renewable energy in my 2014 e-book noted below.]

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His next book is on Abraham Lincoln, due out in 2017.

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Science Traveler to Sponsor Chesapeake-Potomac Regional Chapter of SETAC in 2014

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CPRC logoFor the second year in a row Science Traveler (i.e., this website) will be an Associate Sponsor of the Chesapeake Potomac Regional Chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. I have been involved with SETAC for more than 25 years, the last 22 of which have been as a member of CPRC. In fact, I’ve just completed my second term as President of CPRC and will continue as immediate Past-President during 2014.

CPRC “provides a professional forum for individuals from private industry, academia, and government agencies who are engaged in the study and analysis and solutions for environmental problems, management and regulation of natural resources, and/or research and development.” It represents the area surrounding Washington DC, including all of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, the District, and parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware and beyond. SETAC is a renowned international scientific organization.

You can find their websites by clicking on the links above, or even better, clicking on the really cool logo at the top of the article.

The timing couldn’t be better. CPRC has two huge upcoming events that members are going to want to be a part of. [If you’re not a current member, it’s easy to become one right here, right now.]

The first event is a February 20th dinner at Adele’s in the University of Maryland Student Union in College Park. We’ll have tons of food and drink, along with a distinguished guest speaker – Dr. Donald C. Weber of the USDA, who will talk about “Pesticides and Alternatives for our Region:  Lightening the Load“.

The other major event is our annual spring meeting, which will be held at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC) on April 27-28, 2014. You can read all about last year’s event at CBEC in this recap. The meeting will feature an optional Sunday guided bird hike, kayaking, and picnic on the grounds, followed by a full Monday of presentations and posters (and some of the best catering on the Eastern shore). The location is beautiful so be sure to watch for updates on the CPRC website.

As an Associate Sponsor, Science Traveler plays a key role in helping CPRC foster interaction among its members, sponsor scientific meetings and social events, produce a biannual newsletter, maintain a website, and, perhaps most importantly, sponsor student awards “that encourage and promote the research and professional development of our student members.”

CPRC Science Traveler

More about CPRC and SETAC.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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Me and Nikola Tesla and Bono* at the Tesla Memorial Conference

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Sam MasonBono* was there. I was there. Were you there? “There” is the New Yorker Hotel on January 11, 2014. And the occasion was the 2nd Annual Nikola Tesla Memorial Conference, sponsored by the Tesla Science Foundation. It was a day to remember.

Tesla lived in the New Yorker for the last decade of his long life, dying there in room 3327 on January 7, 1943. You can even stay in his room if you wish (last year I had 3326, the room next door, from which I could see a constant stream of people checking out the plaque on Tesla’s door).

Let’s Build a Tesla Curriculum

The theme this year was to assess and begin development of a curriculum to get Tesla better represented in schools. While students in his home country of Serbia hear about Tesla at an early age, he barely gets mentioned in American schools, if at all. Edison, Marconi, and others who get credit for inventions originally developed by Tesla get prominent mention, but Tesla…well, not so much. The conference aimed to correct that slight and featured many speakers relating their experiences with Tesla-inspired education, interpretations of what would appropriate material to teach, and how to promote the idea.

I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute to that goal myself, both through publication of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and by being part of a team organized by author Howard Lipman (pen name Pan Orpheus) in a sort of traveling Tesla show. We’ve presented film, art, insights, and my book outreach to various public libraries over this past year and hope to do more in 2014. I’ll do a solo presentation to the public at the Ipswich Museum on July 7th. It will be one of a series of talks I’ll be giving when the second edition of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity comes out in July 2014. More on that later.

Signing books 1-11-14

During a very long day (the conference was sandwiched between two 4 hour drives to New York City and back), I enjoyed both the talks and signing books for attendees. One of the best rewards for writing Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity has been the chance to meet readers who get excited about the book and about Nikola Tesla. Ed’s enthusiasm as he buys a book for his daughter Bianca (and another for his local library), the anticipation that Christopher will be reading Tesla on the campus of the University of Michigan thanks to his Aunt’s gift, and Jeff’s passion for Tesla as he purchases four books for friends and family. And while the praise from Tesla experts like Jane Alcorn, Nikola Lonchar, Ljubo Vujovic and others is extremely gratifying, it’s the heartwarming exuberance of the general public that makes this all worthwhile.

Tesla Magazine interview

While there I was interviewed on camera by three different organizations, including Tesla Magazine (photo above). The video below is of one of the video-taping sessions. Not surprisingly (since it’s a video of a video interview), it’s hard to hear with all the background noise. The actual interviews will be posted on the organizations’ websites, so I’ll be sure to link to them when they are up. What is interesting about this video is that while I’m being interviewed there is some guy who goes by the name of Bono* wandering around in the background. In any case, Bono* was here supporting the Tesla conference and one of the guys who interviewed me.

Despite the fact that he was a wonderfully down-to-earth guy, apparently I was still too star-struck to get my photo taken with him (duh!). But here’s a photo of Bono* with Danijela Milic and jazz pianist Dimitrije Vasiljevic. The latter presented his new composition for solo piano inspired by, and to honor, Nikola Tesla.

Bono_Danijela Milic_Dimitrije Vasiljevic

So even though I neglected to get my own photo with Bono*, I did enjoy very much chatting with other luminaries, including authors Bernard Carlson and Howard Lipman, Jane Alcorn of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, Joe Sikorski and Vic Elefante from the movie Fragments from Olympus, Nenad Stankovic of Tesla Magazine, and many others who are bringing Tesla to the people. A day very well spent.

Hard copies of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity are still available in Barnes and Noble stores, but the print run is almost sold out so get one fast. You can also get used copies from resellers on Amazon and BN. E-books are also available on barnesandnoble.com. A second printing will be released in July 2014 in time for Tesla’s birthday. Of course, you can also order a personally signed and inscribed copy directly from me.

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*Or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

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Nikola Tesla has his own App for iPhone and Android

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David J. Kent - Tesla Days 2013One of the most amazing things about Nikola Tesla was that he was a man far ahead of his time. He pushed for renewable energy as early as 1895 at Niagara Falls. In 1898 he was demonstrating a remote controlled boat in Madison Square Garden. He patented a vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft in 1928.  He even predicted that in the future there would be “an inexpensive receiver, not bigger than a watch, [that] will enable [any telephone subscriber] to listen anywhere, on land or sea, to a speech delivered or music played in some other place, however distant.”

Now there is an app for that.

Today, Tesla’s “inexpensive receiver” is in virtually everyone’s pocket, whether it be an iPhone, an Android device, or one of the many other handheld mini-computers that allow us to listen to music, speeches, even to watch television programs. So befitting Tesla’s vision of the future, the Tesla Science Foundation has created an app that facilitates keeping up with the many Tesla-related activities.

TSF app logo

The app is interactive. In fact, holders are asked to help populate the app with photographs taken at Tesla events, as well as other Tesla photos and memes. Download the app, upload your photos!

Tesla app photo gallery

There are screens that contain, and will contain, information on Tesla’s life, his patents, even documents available.

Tesla informationThe main screen shows a rotation of the logo, the meetup group, event photos, and more. At the bottom of the screen there are a series of buttons (four are shown at a time, but swipe sideways to see the others appear). You can quickly tap into upcoming events, photos, background information, social media, and even submit your own photos and write on a fan wall.

TSF main screen

The Tesla Science Foundation has done a great service to everyone with an interest in Nikola Tesla by creating this app. And you can help too. Some of the features are not yet fully functional, and there is room to add many great photos, so users should feel free to submit their pictures and offer suggestions for future updates. The app screenshots I provide above come from the iPhone version via iTunes, but the app also is available for Android devices so the screens may differ slightly. All in all this app is a great way to help spread the word of Nikola Tesla.

I’ll end with a reminder that there is another app under development by Brian Yetzer. I talked about his augmented reality app in a previous article.

Finally, don’t forget to join us at the New Yorker Hotel on January 11, 2014. View the program (both the Conference and Spirit Awards) here. Don’t miss out.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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Nikola Tesla Returns to the New Yorker Hotel – And So Can You!

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David J. KentNikola Tesla lived in the New Yorker Hotel for the last ten years of his life, passing away in Room 3327 on January 7, 1943. Last year I joined the Tesla Science Foundation for their Tesla Memorial Conference. And this year, you can too. The conference celebrates the life of the great Serbian-American inventor. Last year the conference focused on “Why Tesla Matters.” And this year the goal is even more ambitious.

The 2014 theme is “Let’s Build a Tesla Curriculum!”

When I talk about Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity at various libraries and book clubs I usually start off by asking how many people were taught in schools about Tesla. While everyone raises their hands when I ask about being taught about Edison and Marconi, the hands for Tesla are usually sparse. One of the goals of the Tesla Science Foundation, along with the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe and other Tesla organizations, is to build a curriculum that give Tesla his proper place alongside the other great inventors. The curriculum would recognize Tesla’s often overlooked, but critical, contributions to science…and to society.

What that curriculum would look like, and how it would get out to the schools, and what level of schools it should get out to, are all to be discussed at the Tesla Memorial Conference on January 11, 2014. If you have ideas, you need to be there. I’ll be there  signing copies of my book, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity, as well as talking about my forthcoming Tesla book. How the book could fit into a curriculum has yet to be determined.

Along with myself and other Tesla authors such as Bernard Carlson and Howard Lipman (PanOrpheus) will be a full day of presentations from scientific experts developing Tesla-inspired inventions. In addition, the conference will feature Jane Alcorn (Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe), Joe Sikorski (Fragments from Olympus), James Jaeger (Poet of Electricity), and Nenad Stankovic (Tesla Magazine), all of whom will bring us up to date on their activities designed to bring Tesla to the people.

In the evening don’t miss the Spirit Awards with music by Mano Divina and others, along with a special celebrity tribute by Bajaga!

And a whole lot more!

So join us at the New Yorker Hotel on January 11, 2014. View the program (both the Conference and Spirit Awards) here. Don’t miss out.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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Oh What a Year (aka, Tesla Rules!)

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David J. Kent, Science TravelerIt seems like January 2013 was a blink away, but somehow an entire year has passed and that blink away is now January 2014. But oh what a year it was. A year of transitions, a year of excitement, and even a year with some major anxieties. But it is a year I will always remember – the year of Tesla.

Tesla – The Wizard of 2013!

The obvious hallmark was the release of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. Nine months after it had been accepted by the publisher the book finally hit the stores in July 2013. Prominently displayed on shelves at Barnes and Noble entrances, many stores quickly sold out and reordered. Even after the warehouse was empty the books continued to sell, limited only by people’s ability to locate them. By the end of the year we had sold out almost the entire (large) first printing. Even better, a second printing of double the initial run is due out July 2014.

[Off-] Broadway Bound!

The success of Tesla has had another benefit – all the great people I’ve met. Besides Nikola, Sherry, Sam and many others with the Tesla Science Foundation, there are the great folks at Tesla Ambassadors and other Facebook groups. I even got to meet Mr. William H. Terbo, the only living relative of Nikola Tesla. Mr. Terbo is the grand-nephew and actually met Tesla himself when he was ten years old. Another highlight of the year was being invited to speak to the cast of the off-Broadway play, TESLA, then attending opening night of the wildly successful show. Sanja Bestic as director and Sheri Graubert as writer worked so well as a team that they have another show coming out this spring – Jackie and Marilyn. I can’t wait.

Even the bad things worked out!

Of course, there were some downer parts of the year too. Most notably my father’s aneurysm surgery in February turned out to be more dramatic than expected. I’m happy to say that after having several aorta re-plumbed, a series of strokes and seizures, four days of coma, no movement on one side for a few more days, and months of rehab, Dad is doing very well. Meanwhile, the toxicity of my own work environment finally led to the decision to leave my long-standing scientific career and become a full-time writer. Notwithstanding the sudden lack of income, it was a great decision. It’s even been good for my health – after putting on weight in the spring I’ve dropped 10 pounds and live a much healthier lifestyle.

Science Traveler alert!

Along the way I managed to squeeze in a little bit of travel, including several trips to my home town for family events, four times to New York City for writing/Tesla events, a road trip to Tennessee, and even a quick weekend in Jamaica. Travel will get more emphasis in 2014, starting with a trip to NYC in January and to Argentina in February. Summer may bring me to the west coast and/or Moscow and/or Iceland and/or a country to be named later. I’ll be posting much more on travel (and aquariums) this coming year as Science Traveler starts catching up to its moniker.

150 Years of Abraham Lincoln!

Not to be forgotten is Abraham Lincoln. As a member of the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia I’ve had the privilege of joining monthly dinners with some of the most knowledgeable Lincolnophiles in the area. And since each dinner has a guest speaker, I’ve met Lincoln scholars such Douglas L. Wilson, Walter Stahr, and many others. [Eric Foner will receive the Lincoln Award from us in January 2014] One of my most cherished activities of this past year has been the monthly Lincoln Group book club. We’ve been reading the version of Herndon’s Lincoln edited by the aforementioned Doug Wilson and his colleague Rodney O. Davis. Having the combined expertise and insights of the dozen or so group members – all Lincoln scholars – is priceless.

My Presidency Ends!

With all this going on I somehow managed to perform my duties as President of the Chesapeake-Potomac Regional Chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. This was my second go-around as President (the first was in 2001), and I’ve loved every minute of my involvement. As I hand over the Presidency to this year’s VP, Brad Pratt, I’ll remain as a Contributing Editor to the CPRC newsletter and an active Past-President.

Reading is Fundamental!

And then there were the books. As has been my norm in recent years I’ve finished reading about 60 books this year. Because of research for my next book, at least a dozen were Abraham Lincoln-related. But there were also many on Nikola Tesla, some great memoirs, and the trade of writing/publishing. I even read a half dozen fiction books (a rarity for me). Better yet, I was able to read some great books by authors I know personally, most notably Thomas Waite, R.C. (Chuck) Larlham, and Sam Hawksworth. Check them out.

All in all, 2013 was a very good year. I’m looking forward to an even better 2014, where I’ll meet more great people, do more great travel, and write more great books (and yes, I’ll shortly have more info on my Tesla book due out in the spring).

See you all again soon…and Happy New Year!!

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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Tesla Commemorative Conference 2014 – Let’s Build a Tesla Curriculum

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Nikola TeslaNikola Tesla lived out the final ten years of his life in the New Yorker Hotel. Each year the Tesla Science Foundation and the New Yorker Hotel host a Tesla Commemorative Conference. The 2014 event will be held on Saturday, January 11th and includes a discussion on building a Tesla curriculum for schools, along with a wide range of Tesla-inspired technical presentations. The goal is to help bring the world of Nikola Tesla to a wider audience.

That is the goal of my book. One of the most gratifying responses to Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity has been the number of people who say they believe the book would be a wonderful addition to the curricula of schools ranging from middle school, high school, and even undergraduate college. Many people have told me that they are buying an extra copy of the book specifically to donate it to their local school or public library.

The need for such a book has been obvious. Traditionally the Tesla book market has been split between three categories – highly technical reprints of Tesla’s papers and patents, long scholarly studies of Tesla’s life, and books aimed at children or very young teenagers.

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity has successfully appealed to a broader middle audience. The book includes many photographs, graphic arts, and highlighted quotes and stories, all of which bring Nikola Tesla to a general public that may have very little knowledge of the great inventor. The writing style is intentionally clear and fluid so that readers young and old can gain insights into both the technical achievements and personal stories that make Tesla such an interesting man as well as a critically important contributor to modern science. People that know a lot about Tesla and people who know very little, as well as everyone in between, have all found the book both entertaining and informative.

Tesla and the author

The January conference is a wonderful opportunity to further develop a curriculum that will spread the word about Nikola Tesla. Perhaps my book will become a part of that curriculum. The conference will delve into the best way to reach out to those who have yet to know and appreciate one of the most important, yet little known, inventors in our history.

The Tesla Conference is being held on January 11, 2014 at the famed New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan, just steps away from Madison Square Garden and the Penn Station Amtrak stop. An agenda of the conference can be found on the Tesla MeetUp page.

My three part series on the 2013 Tesla Conference can be read at: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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Tesla and Lincoln’s 2014 Schedule is Starting to Take Shape

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David J. KentSo 2013 was an incredible year, and 2014 is already looking like it will be even more incredible. Later this month I’ll take a look back on all that has happened this past year. Meanwhile, my event schedule for 2014 is starting to take shape. Here are just a few of the events already on the calendar for the first six to eight months:

January

4th – Eric Foner dinner: The noted Abraham Lincoln historian will receive the Lincoln Award from the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia. We’ll have a special dinner at the historic Willard Hotel in Washington DC. Foner’s many books on Abraham Lincoln include The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, which won several major awards including the Pulitzer, Lincoln, and Bancroft Prizes.

11th – Tesla Memorial Conference: For the second year in a row I will be attending the annual Nikola Tesla conference sponsored by the Tesla Science Foundation and the New Yorker Hotel. More details to come but see here for recaps of the 2013 conference.

18th – Lincoln Group Book Club: Monthly meeting to discuss Herndon’s Lincoln, Ford’s Theater Educational Center.

February

2 weeks mid-month – Travel to Argentina. I’m still coordinating arrangements with a long-time Argentinian friend of mine, but it looks like a couple of weeks of hiking, fishing, kayaking, glacier hopping, etc. along the eastern ridge of the Andes in Patagonia and eventually all the way down to Ushuaia in the Tierra del Fuego region.

March

End of month – Have completed Lincoln book proposal in my agent’s hands (if not earlier)

April

24th – 26th – Attend American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) conference in New York City.

27th – 28th – Attend Chesapeake-Potomac Regional Chapter (CPRC) conference in Maryland. [as Past-President]

May

End of month – Planned release of Nikola Tesla and Renewable Energy e-book. More details soon!

June

haew narok waterfall 3? – What is this…nothing on my calendar yet for June? I’ll need to do something about that soon.

July

1st – Release of second printing of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity by Sterling Publishing.

7th – Brown bag lecture at the Ipswich Museum in Ipswich, MA. In addition to being the featured speaker I’ll have books available for sale and signing.

8th – 10th – Annual Tesla Days in Philadelphia. A multi-day series of events celebrating the birthday of Nikola Tesla. Check here for information on the 2013 event.

July – September

In addition to the events listed above, and with the second printing (of double the initial print run) due in Barnes and Noble stores in July, I will likely be doing a series of speaking events. Stay tuned for more information, and check back frequently to my Tesla Events and Speaking Engagements page for updates. Perhaps a west coast swing? Perhaps Serbia? I’m open to ideas.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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Did Nikola Tesla Play a Practical Joke on Mark Twain’s Birthday?

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Mark Twain 1909 Wiki CommonsNovember 30th is the birthday of Mark Twain, the nom de plume of Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Known for his wit and books featuring unforgettable characters such as Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and the “Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” Mark Twain was also a good friend of Nikola Tesla. So good that Tesla decided to have a little fun with him one day in his laboratory.

Tesla enjoyed many delightful evenings at dinner parties thrown at the fine Lexington Avenue brownstone of poet and editor Robert Underwood Johnson and his beautiful wife, Katharine. Among the “wide range of famous and lively luminaries” that adorned the Johnson’s home were Samuel Clemens, naturalist John Muir, and various musicians, actors, and actresses that routinely graced the New York stages. For his part, Tesla would regale the others with recitations of both poetry and his inventions, and commonly the evening would end with Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, Anton Dvořák or other guests following Tesla back to his laboratory to witness firsthand some of his electrical marvels.

One day Mark Twain dropped by the laboratory and Tesla decided to have a little fun with him. He asked Twain to step up on a small platform and then set the thing vibrating with his oscillator. Twain was thrilled by the gentle sensations running through his body.

“This gives you vigor and vitality,” he exclaimed.

After a short time Tesla warned Twain that he better come down now or risk the consequences.

“Not by a jugfull,” insisted Twain, “I am enjoying myself.”

Continuing to extol on the wonderful feeling for several more minutes Twain suddenly stopped talking. Looking pleadingly at Tesla he yelled:

“Quick, Tesla! Where is it?”

“Right over there,” Tesla responded calmly. Off Twain rushed to the restroom, embarrassed by his condition. Tesla smiled; the laxative effect of the vibrator was well known to the chuckling laboratory staff.

Mark Twain in Tesla's Laboratory

Mark Twain in Tesla’s Laboratory

Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla remained friends until Samuel Clemens’ death in 1910. Tesla lived on to 1943. Shortly before his own death in a lonely two-room suite at the New Yorker Hotel, Tesla was thinking of his old friend. While he had become a naturalized American citizen over a half-century earlier, Tesla’s cremated remains now rest in a spherical “Tesla ball”–shaped urn at the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade.

For his part, Samuel Clemens knew how to make an entrance – and an exit – in style. He was born in a year where Halley’s Comet buzzed the Earth, and died at age 74 the very next time Halley’s Comet returned to our view. While we’ll always remember Clemens’ alter ego of Mark Twain, we’re just now rediscovering his friend and practical joke player, Nikola Tesla.

5 Things You Didn’t Know about Nikola Tesla

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His next book is on Abraham Lincoln, due out in 2017.

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