Nikola Tesla’s Genius

The article “A Boy and His Tesla Coil” (by Andrew Vontz, Metropolis, Jan. 6) missed the most important contribution that Nikola Tesla made to the world. More than 100 years ago there was fierce competition over how electric power should be distributed to take greater advantage of the newfangled electrical inventions being devised, including the incandescent lightbulb. Thomas Edison (the inventor of that bulb) was pushing for direct current (DC) while Tesla was promoting alternating current (AC). Fortunately, Tesla won the battle, for if Edison had we would have a small power plant every half mile or so in every community across the country.

Barry J. Hildebrand

Rancho Palos Verdes