In 1884, an up-and-coming European inventor named Nikola Tesla arrived in New York. Haunted by vivid premonitions that guided his creations, Tesla was said to have designed a “death ray” — a weapon too dangerous and powerful to actually be built. When he died alone in a New York hotel in 1943, officials seized his papers, fueling rumors that many of his radical inventions were buried or stolen. Ideas that the world simply isn’t ready for, even today.

Portrait of Nikola Tesla in 1890 at 34 years old. Courtesy of Wikipedia.org via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla

Portrait of Nikola Tesla in 1890 at 34 years old. Courtesy of Wikipedia.org via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla
Mark Twain in Tesla’s New York Laboratory in 1894. Courtesy of Wikipedia.org via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla

Mark Twain in Tesla’s New York Laboratory in 1894. Courtesy of Wikipedia.org via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla
Tesla in front of his famed coils he used in his experiments. Courtesy of Wikipedia.org via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla

Tesla in front of his famed coils he used in his experiments. Courtesy of Wikipedia.org via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla
Tesla in his New York City Office in 1916. Courtesy of Rare Historical Photos via https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/nikola-tesla-old-photos/

Tesla in his New York City Office in 1916. Courtesy of Rare Historical Photos via https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/nikola-tesla-old-photos/
Tesla experimenting with high voltage power in 1899. Courtesy of Rare Historical Photos via https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/nikola-tesla-old-photos/

Tesla experimenting with high voltage power in 1899. Courtesy of Rare Historical Photos via https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/nikola-tesla-old-photos/
An early patented design for Tesla’s Death Ray machine. Courtesy of 9Now and Nine.com.au via https://www.nine.com.au/entertainment/latest/nikola-tesla-murder-death-ray-invention-tv-show/472fc80a-5ea9-4fa8-9c72-2f5ea71fc56e

An early patented design for Tesla’s Death Ray machine. Courtesy of 9Now and Nine.com.au via https://www.nine.com.au/entertainment/latest/nikola-tesla-murder-death-ray-invention-tv-show/472fc80a-5ea9-4fa8-9c72-2f5ea71fc56e

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