He created AC, alternating current. The source of electricity that the world uses today. He also invented neon, fluorescent lights, radio, X-ray, radar and so much more. The Star Wars project from the Reagan era was that of Nikola Tesla as well. HAARP in Alaska is also a product of Tesla.
Sadly, Nikola Tesla did die almost penniless. Tesla had much opportunity to make lots of money, however Tesla was not interested in making money. Tesla's passions were creating things for societal use, to help out all of mankind.
Nikola Tesla was born in the village of Smiljan, in Croatia. (At the time it was part of ther Austrian Empire).
The Chicago World's Fair, was held in Chicago in 1893. The electricity was powered by the system of Nikola Tesla. He had an exhibition of his inventions. World's first Ferris wheel was designed to "out-Eiffel Eiffel" and thrilled 20,000 people a day starting on June 18. That Ferris wheel (also called the "Chicago Wheel", designed and built by George Ferris.
Nikola Tesla worked with Thomas Edison for a brief time, and then when on his own. He worked in his lab and made over 700 today products including the radio and AC electricity. He also started off with looking for some one to help him and that's when he met George Westinghouse.
I posted a site that c0uld help help you in the related links below. Among the many awards and honors to his credit, Nikola Tesla was the recipient of Edison Medal in 1917. The International Unit of Magnetic Flux Density was named after him and is called "Tesla". A commemorative stamp was taken out by US Postal Services in the year 1983. The Order of Danilo was conferred upon him by King Nikola of Montenegro. To recognize his contributions in the field of electrical engineering, the 'Nikola Tesla' award was instituted in 1976 by the Institute of Electrical Engineers. July 10th every year is celebrated as Nikola Tesla Day in the United States.
Try searching Nikola Tesla. He had a lot of unpatented inventions
Before the radio, Tesla came out with the coil. The Tesla coil, invented in 1891, is still used in radio and television sets and other electronic equipment. It is the basis on all wireless and communications gadgets that you see today. Tesla never had help with any of his inventions.
Nikola Tesla held over 300 patents for his inventions and discoveries. Some of his most notable inventions include the alternating current (AC) electrical system, Tesla coil, and wireless communication technologies.
Every time you turn your lights on, you are using a Tesla invention. Every wireless devices and radio are based on the Tesla coil. You see kids playing with radio controlled cars or boats it was his invention also.
Nikola Tesla was referred to Edison by a mutual friend. Tesla emigrated to New York and gave a recommendation letter to Edison who hired him to help develop DC power systems. Their partnership did not last long. Instead of working on DC power as Edison challenged him, Tesla chose to improve Faraday's AC power. Edison would not listen to Tesla's arguments for AC power, and Tesla quit. George Westinghouse then bought Tesla's AC patents, and directly challenged Edison in the current wars which Westinhouse eventually won. Ironically, many devices used today are DC (computers, cell phones, LED lights, etc.) as Edison predicted, and converters have to be used to step down from AC back to DC.
In the "War of Currents" era (sometimes, "War of the Currents" or "Battle of Currents") in the late 1880s, George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison became adversaries due to Edison's promotion of direct current (DC) for electric power distribution over alternating current (AC) advocated by Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla. resources: wikipedia
Though history books continue to give Guglielmo Marconi credit for the invention of radio, Tesla's lectures on wireless broadcasting precede Marconi's radio patents by some three years. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the matter in Tesla's favor, and struck down Marconi's patent claim, in 1943.