Nikola Tesla Day - July 10 - A Day of Science Around the World

Above: Poster of Nikola Tesla to honor "Nikola Tesla Day" on July 10.
Poster by Graphic Designer Kevin L. Sharpe (voyage@voycominc.com).

Above: Nikola Tesla, with Roger Boskovich's book "Theoria Philosophiae Naturalis", in front of the spiral coil of his high-frequency transformer at East Houston St., New York

Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943) was an inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer. He was an important contributor to the birth of commercial electricity, and is best known for his many revolutionary developments in the field of electromagnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tesla's patents and theoretical work formed the basis of modern alternating current (AC) electric power systems, including the polyphase system of electrical distribution and the AC motor, which helped usher in the Second Industrial Revolution.

Born an ethnic Serb in the village of Smiljan, Croatian Military Frontier in Austrian Empire (today's Croatia), he was a subject of the Austrian Empire by birth and later became an American citizen. After his demonstration of wireless communication through radio in 1894 and after being the victor in the "War of Currents", he was widely respected as one of the greatest electrical engineers who worked in America. Much of his early work pioneered modern electrical engineering and many of his discoveries were of groundbreaking importance. During this period, in the United States, Tesla's fame rivaled that of any other inventor or scientist in history or popular culture, but because of his eccentric personality and his seemingly unbelievable and sometimes bizarre claims about possible scientific and technological developments, Tesla was ultimately ostracized and regarded as a mad scientist by many late in his life. Tesla never put much focus on his finances and died impoverished at the age of 86.

The International System of Units unit measuring magnetic field B (also referred to as the magnetic flux density and magnetic induction), the tesla, was named in his honor (at the Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures, Paris, 1960), as well as the Tesla effect of wireless energy transfer to wireless powered electronic devices (which Tesla demonstrated on a low scale with incandescent light bulbs as early as 1893 and aspired to use for the intercontinental transmission of industrial power levels in his unfinished Wardenclyffe Tower project).

Aside from his work on electromagnetism and electromechanical engineering, Tesla contributed in varying degrees to the establishment of robotics, remote control, radar, and computer science, and to the expansion of ballistics, nuclear physics,[7] and theoretical physics. A few of his achievements have been used, with some controversy, to support various pseudosciences, anti-gravity and UFO theories, early New Age occultism and tele[trans]portation.

President Obama's Immigration Speech mentions Nikola Tesla as a famous immigrant who helped make America what it is

America is a Nation of Immigrants - a nation that welcomes those willing to embrace America's precepts

The following is part of Obama's Immigration Speech at the American University School of International Service, Washington D.C. on July 1, 2010. This speech can be found at the Washington Wire (click here for full speech transcript):

"Immigration reform is no exception. In recent days, the issue of immigration has become once more a source of fresh contention in our country, with the passage of a controversial law in Arizona and the heated reactions we’ve seen across America. Some have rallied behind this new policy. Others have protested and launched boycotts of the state. And everywhere, people have expressed frustration with a system that seems fundamentally broken.

Of course, the tensions around immigration are not new. On the one hand, we’ve always defined ourselves as a nation of immigrants — a nation that welcomes those willing to embrace America’s precepts. Indeed, it is this constant flow of immigrants that helped to make America what it is.
The scientific breakthroughs of Albert Einstein, the inventions of Nikola Tesla, the great ventures of Andrew Carnegie’s U.S. Steel and Sergey Brin’s Google, Inc. -– all this was possible because of immigrants.

And then there are the countless names and the quiet acts that never made the history books but were no less consequential in building this country — the generations who braved hardship and great risk to reach our shores in search of a better life for themselves and their families; the millions of people, ancestors to most of us, who believed that there was a place where they could be, at long last, free to work and worship and live their lives in peace."

Above: Kofi Atta Annan (born 8 April 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006. Annan and the United Nations were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. (Photo and text from Wikipedia.com)

"Nikola Tesla Day" (July 10th), a Day of Science around the world is becoming a reality. In 2002, the Tesla Memorial Society of New York and Tesla Forum from Australia proposed to Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations at that time, the proclamation of "Nikola Tesla Day" as a Day of Science.

There is currently an initiative in Serbia and Croatia to propose to the General Assembly of the United Nations the voting for "Nikola Tesla Day" as an international holiday. We hope the United States of America will also support "Nikola Tesla Day". Nikola Tesla spent 60 years of his life in New York City and contributed his genius and work to all nations around the world.

Below: Answer from Kofi Annan, Secretary General, United Nations, to the Tesla Memorial Society of New York regarding the proclamation of "Nikola Tesla Day" as an international holiday.

Marking the 154th anniversary of Nikola Tesla's birth, Vice Prime Minister for European integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic stated that a proposal to declare 10th of July as Science day in Serbia will be sent to the Government of Serbia.

Ministry of Science and Technology is the official proponent and I expect that the Government will conclude by September 2010, stated Djelic during his visit to the Nikola Tesla Museum on the occasion of the 154th anniversary of the great scientist's birth. He added that upon completion on the national level, the Government will send an official initiative to the United Nations for declaration of International Science Day.

Serbia will affirm itself in the XXI c as a country that recognizes the importance of the knowledge economy, a country that will in the following four years invest approximately 800 million Euros in scientific and technological projects.

According to him, and today posthumously disclosed inventions of Nikola Tesla, and the Ministry of Science and Technology will fund the development of history of Serbian science.

Nikola Tesla Museum director Vladimir Jelenkovic recalled that the initiative to declare the date of Tesla's birth date of science in Serbia, and then in the world was launched in 2006, adding that this would be the greatest reward to a genius who was ahead of his time.

Jelenkovic said that for the Museum each year is Tesla's year, adding that crucial works have been completed today - depot to store the original archives of the famous scientist, while in another part of the adapted space a conservation laboratory is built.

The conference was held at Perth Convention Exhibition Centre on Friday,7th of July 2006. It was an opportunity for people involved in science to meet, exchange information and experiences and all that in Tesla's honour. The conference featured many interested topics about Nikola Tesla, and topics from modern science. The conference program can be downloaded here.

It was our privilege to have Professor Jasmina Vujic (University of California in Berkeley and Tesla Memorial Society of New York Inc) to chair the Conference and have a keynote speech.

Special thanks to Hon Dr Judy Edwards MLA, Honorary Chairperson of the W.A. wide Steering Committee and Mark de Laeter, General Manager of Western Power (major sponsor of Tesla Celebration) who officially opened the Conference.

Special credits for successful organization of the Conference go to Dr Danica Cvejanovic, Dr Wally Knezevic and Vladimir Baltic, who put the Conference program together and ensured that all necessary arrangements are in place. Many thanks to all the presenters, guests, volunteers and our sponsors that made this event possible and so successful.

Above: Robyn McClellan, US Consul General; Branislav Grbovic, Tesla Forum Chairman; Hon Dr Judy Edwards MLA

Above: John Winston Howard, AC (born 26 July 1939) was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies. (Photo and text from Wikipedia.com)

Above: Geoffrey Ian Gallop, AC (born 27 September 1951) is an Australian academic and former politician. He was the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. He currently resides in Sydney. (Photo and text from Wikipedia.com)

Tesla Forum presented a proposal to Hon Kofi Annan, Secretary General of United Nations, to establish the International

Nikola Tesla Day on 10 July, Tesla’s birthday. “Nikola Tesla Day" will signify a day of science, progress and brotherhood among all nations and religions.

Tesla Forum is grateful for fantastic support received from numerous organizations and individuals including:

Above: Proclamation for "Nikola Tesla Day" on July 10 signed by the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.

The Tesla Science Foundation celebrated Nikola Tesla Day as a Day of Science on July 9th, 10th and 11th, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Above: Nikola Loncar, President of the Nikola Tesla Inventor's Club, supported "Nikola Tesla Day" on July 10, 2010 in Philadephia.

Above: (from left to right) Dr. Ljubo Vujovic, President, Tesla Memorial Society of New York, Iwona Vujovic, Author of the Tesla Collection, Mrs. Vesna Petrovic and Mr. Vasilj Petrovic, Secretary of Canada, Tesla Memorial Society of Canada in Philadelphia on July 10, 2010.

Above: If you visit Google.com today, you will notice a special logo that looks like a coil lighting rode. It is a depiction of the Tesla coil created by Nikola Tesla. (Text and image from http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/020373.html)

Above: Commemorative Plaque on Building (32 West 40 Street, Manhattan, New York), "The Engineers Club", was erected in memory of famous American Engineers who helped America transform from a largely agricultural nation to an architectural and industrial empire. Nikola Tesla's name is included on the plaque among other famous Americans.

Above: Plaque of Nikola Tesla on Radio Wave Building. Radio Wave Building located at 49 West 27th Street (between Broadway and Sixth Avenue), Lower Manhattan. It was the former Gerlach Hotel, where Tesla lived before the end of the century and experimented with Radio Waves, in 1896.

Above: Earth at Night (click to enlarge).
Tesla's Alternating Current is today lighting the globe. Photo by NASA satellites.

"Tesla Unit" is the unit for Magnetic Flux Density, and is a part of the International System of Units. The "Tesla Unit" is important for the calibration of MRI machines.

Nikola Tesla's Archive in the Nikola Tesla Museum, in Belgrade, were placed in UNESCO's "Memory of the World" Programme

Nikola Tesla's Archive in Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro) constitutes a unique collection of 160,000 pages of patent documentation, scientific correspondence, scientific papers, manuscripts, technical drawings, scientific measuring data, personal documents and legal papers, as well as 1,000 original photographs of Tesla's experiments and inventions, all of which are indispensable to the study of the history of electrification.

A total of 91 properties from 45 countries are inscribed on the Memory of the World Register, which was established in 1997 to preserve and promote documentary heritage of universal value.

Above: The Belgrade International Airport is as of recently called the Nikola Tesla Belgrade International Airport.

Opening Ceremony on July 10, 2006.
Nikola Tesla Memorial Center and his birth house in Smiljan, Lika, Croatia

Above: Opening ceremony of the Nikola Tesla Memorial Center, July 10, 2006. The background shows Tesla's birth house (left) and the Serbian Orthodox Church (right) where his father Milutin Tesla was a priest.

Above: Opening ceremony of Nikola Tesla Memorial Center in Smiljan, Lika, Croatia, on July 10, 2006.

New beautiful photos from Tesla Monument, Niagara Falls, Canadian Side, unveiled July 9, 2006 with comments from Les Drysdale, famous sculptor of the monument

Les Drysdale wrote a letter to the Tesla Memorial Society of New York about the Tesla monument he designed and constructed. He explained his thoughts and feelings about the monument. His commentaries below the pictures are from this letter.

"I have been asked to say a few words for the Tesla Society of New York about my sculpture of Nikola Tesla in Niagara Falls. " - Les Drysdale

"When I began this project I had no idea just how much Tesla meant
to so many people and how neglected his contributions to humanity have been. I only hope that in some small way I have contributed to correcting this historical oversight and created something worthy of such a great man."

"The first impression of the sculpture as you walk toward the falls is that
of the figure of Nikola Tesla facing the falls and he appears to be standing
on top of a motor."

Above: Tesla Monument at Niagara Falls (Canadian side), Queen Victoria Park, unveiled on July 9, 2006. Tesla is standing atop an AC motor, one of the 700 inventions he patented. The monument was the work of Canadian sculptor Les Dryzdale.

Above: Tesla Monument at Goat Island, Niagara Falls, New York. Gift of Yugoslavia to the United States, 1976.
Nikola Tesla designed the first hydro-electric power plant in Niagara Falls. This was the final victory of Tesla's Alternating Current over Edison's Direct Current. The monument was the work of Croatian sculptor Frane Krsinic.

1. "Tesla" Asteroid - a small celestial body that revolves around the sun, who's orbits lie chiefly between Mars and Jupiter.

Above: Asteroids - small planets between Mars and Jupiter, revolving around the sun.

(dictionary.com) Asteroid - Any of numerous small celestial bodies that revolve around the sun, with orbits lying chiefly between Mars and Jupiter and characteristic diameters between a few and several hundred kilometers. Also called minor planet, planetoid.

The planet "Tesla", named after the great Nikola Tesla, is listed at the "Minor Planet Center" at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory at Harvard University founded at:

The "Tesla" Planet is #2244, the list is alphabetical, look under "Tesla". The list was last updated on April 8, 2005.

One of the craters on the moon is named after Nikola Tesla. The crater is located on the moon at: Latitude 124.7E; Longitude 38.5N and has a diameter of 43 kilometers. (If these coordinates had been on the earth, you would be located at the position of Korea, since the zero meridian is located at Greenwich England. I'll have to check back to see where the zero meridian is taken for lunar coordinates.)
This information is given at:
http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/lunarform/cratall.html

The data is given in the format: Tesla 38.5N 124.7E 43.0
If you click on the word "Tesla" it will take you to a NASA photo of the backside of the moon, taken from an elevation of 1000 km, looking directly down on the Tesla crater from above. (Crater "Tesla" is exactly in the center of this photo.) You can "zoom" in for a closer look at the actual photo of the Tesla crater by clicking below the photo, but the photo loses resolution.

The Crater is also listed (under "Tesla") on the NASA page
http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/science/atlas/text/cratertex_t.html
which identifies the crater as named for "Nikola Tesla(1856-1943)" . . . which only gets the story partly right.