Biographers have called Nikola Tesla as the man who invented the 20th century. How do his contributions?

Question

compare with Edison's?

I meant 'refered to' not called

Answer 1

Tesla invented many items that he did not patent, and many of his were more influential and useful than Edison's inventions. Tesla invented the radio, high efficiency fluorescent lighting, alternating current (the most efficient system of transmitting electricity over long distances), and the AC dynamo (generator/motor)

Edison invented the lightbulb and DC, both of which are now recognized as inefficient.

I know that I seem biased, but I strongly feel that Tesla would have been a household name if he had been more assertive and aggressive against Edison's negative campaigning. The modern picture of Tesla as a "nutter" may be accurate for the latter half of his life, but few can deny that the invention of radio is perhaps a tad bit more influential to modern technology than the invention of the lightbulb by Edison., which is now recognized as ineffiecient and costly.

The real reason that Edison became famous is because he was able to sell his ideas and market them well, and historians could depict him as an All-American hero.
Sadly, American history does not want to look as kindly on Tesla, a miserable Serbian immigrant who died in poverty.

Answer 2

Tesla was a fringe lunatic who had very little insight into physics. He did have enormous experimental ability, but that carried him only so far. Unlike Edison he did not have any business sense, either.

Neither of the two men qualifies for being highly important in comparison with really great scientists, but at least Edison made a killing while Tesla drove himself insane.

Poor biographers like to elevate the subject of their writing. You have to keep in mind that a biographer's first job is to pay the rent, i.e. they have to sell books. Some biographers do it by being first class historians and first class writers, but most of them do it by writing magnificent nonsense and then have the publisher pitch the book. The public usually can't tell the difference.

Answer 3

Tesla had about 300 patents. Edison over 1000.

Answer 4

nikola tesla introduced the transformer and the three-phase system to transmit electrical power and demostrated the efficiency of machines using the system. edison proves otherwise using direct currents to be used in the industry. during the dispute between the ac and dc electricity, tesla closed the issue and ac electricity is to be used as a standard rather than dc.

Answer 5

Edison was certainly the most influential. Tesla was a nutter, but Edison wasn't too nice either. If you or I did the things either of these men did we would be locked up.

Answer 6

I'd consider Edison the forerunner of all other inventors after his time.

Before him, (Edison) Ben Franklin. Ever wonder if the light bulb would have ever been invented if Edison had never been born? Ever wonder if some one else would had discovered a way to harness electricity had Franklin not been born. Ever think, I wouldn't had been here to answer your question had I never been born! Now that would be so sad- ha!

Answer 7

nikola tesla had a bit more inventions than edison

Answer 8

edison was a hack

tesla was a nutter

take your pick.

both were brilliant in their own way, but i think i could have talked them into being more productive (with a lead pipe and a dark alley)

Answer 9

Link here

Answer 10

Electricity bill