BULLETIN TEMPLATE (Mar 12, 2019)

We welcomed as our visiting speaker Neil Baggett, a retired physicist who, in the past, often worked with government agencies, and who now works with and represents the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe (TSCW) in Shoreham. He passed out 2 pages about upcoming events related to the TSCW (which have now been included on our club calendar on this site) and told us that Tesla, whose birthday is in July, came to the US at age 28 in 1884. Neil proceeded to pepper us with Tesla information that he thought we might not know about this scientific genius. Tesla was child prodigy who thought up inventions at an early age. As an adult, he imagined things first, then tested them, and then wrote down the design information in order to get them patented. He was, unfortunately, not systematic. In 6 months in 1888, Tesla put out 40 patented inventions. Tesla worked briefly at the Edison Machine works in NYC before striking out on his own. Initially, he found willing partners who helped finance and market his ideas, enabling him to develop a wide range of electrical and mechanical devices. George Westinghouse hired him for a small amount of money, but when he advised Tesla that his pay had to be cut, Tesla offered to work for free. Meanwhile, Westinghouse licensed and marketed Tesla's AC induction motors and other mechanical inventions. Tesla enjoyed demonstrating his creations to wealthy patrons and became noted for his showmanship at public lectures. In 1893, the Chicago World's Fair was lit with Tesla's AC current lights. When Tesla visited Niagara Falls, he came up with the idea of using water falls to provide power. Throughout the 1890s, he pursued his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide electric power distribution in his high-voltage, high-frequency power experiments. In 1901, he had a cellphone-like instrument in mind for wireless transfer of information. He made pronouncements about the possibility of wireless communication with his devices; and in his unfinished Wardencliffe Tower project, he worked on an intercontinental wireless communication and power transmitter, but never completed it -or, for that matter, other ideas with which he was experimenting- due to lack of funding. This was truly a unique, but unappreciated man. When he moved his labs into the Stanford White-designed Wardencliffe, he worked on many ideas with varying degrees of success, but actually completed only a few in the 1910s-20s. Some of Tesla's ideas (like his plan for radio transmissions) achieved success under competing scientists' efforts (like Marconi). Tesla worked with magnets and magnetic forces. (Today's MRI, which uses magnetic forces, uses T for Tesla as a unit of measure in honor of the scientist.) His ideas led to the creation of the speedometer, the odometer, and neon lights. At one time rather well-compensated for his inventions, Tesla spent most of his money rather thoughtlessly on luxuries- like his choice of longtime residence in NYC at the Waldorf Astoria. Eventually, he left behind many unpaid bills. He died a pauper in The City in 1943. His work fell into obscurity after his death. When he had to declare bankruptcy, Tesla lost the Wardenclyffe property. In 1939, it was purchased by Peerless Photo. Neil spoke a bit about how Tesla, while nearly forgotten in the US, had always been considered a hero in his birth country, Serbia. There, he's treated like the Father of his Country. (Neil passed around a specimen of Serbian money with Tesla's face on it.) He and Jane Alcorn visited Serbia not long ago to share Tesla information. In 2012, through the efforts of Friends of Science East (including Jane Alcorn), a popular cartoon blogger, and a state grant obtained by then- Assemblyman Alessi, enough money was raised to purchase the Wardenclyffe property. The Serbian government has helped, too, with the resurrection of the TSCW, home of the scientist's only surviving laboratory. The intention is to have this property become the future home of a global center for innovation. According to Neil, the plans are moving forward well under Alessi's Directorship. Around $7 million has been raised, but over $20 million is still needed. The main building has been cleared of asbestos, but there is a lot of mold and water covering the floor. An architect will be hired soon. An old house on the property will become a Welcome Center. Work on the site continues. Fundraising continues. Tesla lives again. Volunteers are welcome to help this project reach its conclusion successfully.