Nikola Tesla was known as a “mad-scientist” due to his achievements and showmanship. Over his lifetime, Tesla had obtained around 300 patents worldwide for his inventions; however, many of his inventions were not put into patent protection. These patents earned him a considerable amount of money which he used to fund his own private projects with varying degrees of success. You can also thank Tesla for the AC electric system that powers everything you use today. Here are a few of his projects that could have changed the world, for better, or worse.

Free Electricity System

Foreseeing that the growing world would need new sources of energy, Tesla set out to find new ways to harness the energy of the Earth. He experimented with everything from a machine that could gather heat from the ambient air (Wardenclyffe Tower), to working with liquified air.

Telsa discovered that useful energy (electricity) could be taken from the heat in the ambient air, and that electric power in the form of radiant energy could be broadcast to everyone in the world; all they would essentially need to do is stick special pole in the ground. Unfortunately there’s not much money in free electricity. *Shakes fist in anger at the sky*

His Wardenclyffe Tower was never finished, but his dream of providing energy to all points on the globe is still alive today.

Image via: free-energy.ws

Death Ray

After studying the Van de Graff generator, Tesla got the idea for a “teleforce” weapon, which has also been referred to as the “death ray” and/or “peace ray.”

The proposed purpose of this weapon was to be used against ground-based infantry or for anti-aircraft purposes. Telsa gave the following description about the “particle gun’s” operation:

[The nozzle would] send concentrated beams of particles through the free air, of such tremendous energy that they will bring down a fleet of 10,000 enemy airplanes at a distance of 200 miles from a defending nation’s border and will cause armies to drop dead in their tracks.

Good Guy Telsa ultimately decided not to create his “death ray” as it would be too easy for countries to destroy each other. Multiple attempts at stealing his “death ray” plans were made, but the thieves always left empty handed.

Fun Fact: Nikola Tesla is also known as “The Man Who Invented the 20th Century”.

Tesla’s Oscillator

This thing was essentially an earthquake machine. This steam-powered oscillator was patented in 1893. It was originally intended to be a steam-powered electric generator.

So here’s the story. Tesla was experimenting with his machine at his Houston Street lab and he allegedly generated a resonance of several buildings. As the speed of the machine grew, it started oscillating at the resonance frequency of his own building. At this point he took a sledge hammer and destroyed his experiment and device.

“Tesla claims that in a few weeks he could set the earth’s crust into such a state of vibration that it would rise and fall hundreds of feet and practically destroy civilization. A continuation of this process would, he says, eventually split the earth in two.” – Allan L. Benson

I don’t know about you, but this sounds more like a death machine than his “death ray.”

Improved Airships

Tesla essentially had the idea for the solar powered drones that we have today. His vision was a bit bigger though. He envisioned airships that would take passengers from New York to London in three hours, drawing power from the atmosphere, never needing to refuel.

The Flying Saucer

Toward the end of his life, Tesla was working on a “flying machine” that used “anti-gravity” to fly. The following description sounds a lot like an alien space ship to me.

“My flying machine will have neither wings nor propellers. You might see it on the ground and you would never guess that it was a flying machine. Yet it will be able to move at will through the air in any direction with perfect safety, at higher speeds than have yet been reached, regardless of weather and oblivious of “holes in the air” or downward currents. It will ascend in such currents if desired. It can remain absolutely stationary in the air, even in a wind, for great length of time. Its lifting power will not depend upon any such delicate devices as the bird has to employ, but upon positive mechanical action.”

Image via: anonews.co