logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2017
39m 38s

Nikola Tesla’s electric dreams

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The extraordinary life and prophetic inventions of the Serbian-American engineer Nikola Tesla. Bridget Kendall and guests discuss not just Tesla's key contributions to the design of modern electrical appliances and systems but also his dream of a worldwide system of free wireless electricity, his ambitious scheme to build huge towers to make it happen and why in 1917 his plans and the first tower at Wardenclyffe near New York City came crashing down.

Bridget is joined by Jasmina Vujic, Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Berkeley, University of California, and a Vice President of the Tesla Memorial Society of New York; Jane Alcorn, the President of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe; and Michael Krause, a historian, writer and director of the documentary All About Tesla.

Photo: A Tesla Coil in action. The man in the photo is wearing a specially designed ferroalloy metal suit which keeps him safe while the high voltage crackles from him.(Getty Images)

Up next
Aug 16
The unfolding history of the magazine
When magazines first emerged, they were the preserve of an elite who could afford to pay for them. But as time went on, the cost of paper fell, printing technology became more streamlined, literacy improved and would-be publishers spotted an opportunity to connect with audiences ... Show More
48m 36s
Jul 19
Movie theatre magic
The speed with which cinema caught the public’s imagination is remarkable. The first film screenings took place in the 1890s and just two decades later, in the US alone there were thousands of nickelodeons and other spaces where you could watch a movie. Luxurious picture palaces ... Show More
49m 27s
Jun 21
Customer service: The rise of the doom loop
The quality of customer service can make or break a company. That has always been true but the kind of customer experience we now expect when things go wrong with our purchases is vastly different from what we wanted half a century ago. 1960s answering services, the new organisat ... Show More
49m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Tesla Electrifies the World
February 24, 1893. Most homes don't have electricity. And yet, one of the technology's pioneers, Nikola Tesla, is about to give the world a glimpse into a fully electrified future.He takes the stage at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, and begins a demonstration. He shoots ... Show More
41m 59s
Mar 2025
586: Weather Weapons & Worse | Tesla's Stolen Tech and the New Arms Race
In the Alaskan wilderness stands an array of 180 antennas pointing skyward. The military calls it research, but declassified patents tell a different story. What began as Nikola Tesla's dream of free energy for humanity may have become the world's most powerful weapon. When Tesla ... Show More
35m 28s
May 5
Nikola Tesla: life of the week
Nikola Tesla is remembered as an enigmatic, eccentric genius who harnessed the power of electricity. But if we strip away some of this myth, what can we really say about the inventor's life and legacy? For this Life of the Week episode, Iwan Morus joins Ellie Cawthorne to reveal ... Show More
40m 44s
Apr 2022
Nikola Tesla: Engineer
Meet Nikola Tesla, an engineer WHO was instrumental in inventing some of the world's most prominent technologies, such as air conditioning and the modern-day lightbulb! Join Rebecca Sheir as we meet this innovator and discover how his WOWs have changed the world! Head to whowhenw ... Show More
29m 56s
Apr 2025
#228 Nikola Tesla
📖 Episode Transcripts in Link Below ⬇️ Today, we’ll dive into the life and legacy of Nikola Tesla, the brilliant inventor and visionary whose ideas shaped the modern world, from alternating current to wireless energy transmission. https://patreon.com/HistoryinSlowGerman?utm_medi ... Show More
3m 54s
Aug 2024
Pourquoi parle-ton de la « guerre des courants » ?
Si le nom de Thomas Edison est passé à la postérité, ce n'est pas le cas de celui de Nikola Tesla, qui est beaucoup moins connu. Si ces deux inventeurs furent associés un temps, c'est parce qu'ils travaillèrent ensemble et eurent l'occasion de s'opposer, dans le cadre d'une contr ... Show More
2m 1s
Nov 2024
Bold Names: Why Elon Musk’s Battery Guy Is Betting Big on Recycling
JB Straubel was Elon Musk’s battery guy. Now he’s trying to turn what some see as trash into power for the electric vehicle revolution. Straubel was there at the earliest days of Tesla, and in his 15 years with the electric vehicle company, he played an integral role: he develope ... Show More
28m 12s
Jul 2023
The Electric Car Goes Mainstream
Before Teslas were everywhere, they were playthings for the rich and famous. Building its first affordable car made Tesla a breakout success, but it nearly bankrupted the company. This is the story of how the Model 3 changed Tesla and the entire auto industry. Learn more about yo ... Show More
29m 43s
Jan 2019
The Electric Robotaxi Dream
Will we all abandon our cars in favour of self-driving taxi apps by the year 2030, or is this pure fantasy?Justin Rowlatt takes on the many sceptical responses he received from readers to an article on the BBC website in which he sought to explain "Why you have (probably) bought ... Show More
18m 28s
Mar 2025
Tesla pique du nez, gracieuseté d’Elon Musk
L’entreprise de véhicules électriques Tesla nage en eaux troubles : ses ventes annuelles ont récemment baissé pour la première fois en près de 10 ans. Sur le plan boursier, après une hausse marquée dans la foulée de la victoire de Donald Trump, les actions de l’entreprise ont chu ... Show More
17m 50s