Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein: A Study in Contrasts

Light and Energy

Tesla’s view of light was holistic, seeing it as the fundamental building block of the universe. He believed that everything we see is a form of light. On the other hand, Einstein’s theory of relativity introduced the mass-energy equivalence principle (E=mc²), suggesting that energy could be created from mass. Tesla disagreed with this, insisting that mass must be unalterable.

Theory of Relativity

Tesla disagreed with Einstein’s theory of relativity. He stated in a 1935 New York Times interview: “The theory, wraps all these errors and fallacies and clothes them in magnificent mathematical garb which fascinates, dazzles and makes people blind to the underlying errors. The theory is like a beggar clothed in purple whom ignorant people take for a king.”.

Ether and Cosmic Rays

Tesla’s disagreement with Einstein’s theory of relativity was rooted in his belief in the existence of ether, a medium through which light waves propagate. Tesla claimed to have intercepted cosmic rays from the sun that traveled at velocities exceeding the speed of light. He believed these cosmic rays could be harnessed to generate electrical power.

Space-Time

Tesla disagreed with Einstein’s concept of space-time and the idea that space could curve around gravitational bodies. He stated, “I hold that space cannot be curved, for the simple reason that it can have no properties. It might as well be said that God has properties”.

Did They Ever Meet?

There are no confirmed records of a meeting between Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla. While there is a photo circulating on the internet that claims to show the two together in 1921 when Einstein visited the RCA Transoceanic Station in New Brunswick, NJ, its authenticity is not verified. There is no documented evidence that Albert Einstein directly responded to Nikola Tesla’s criticisms of his theory of relativity. Albert Einstein did acknowledge Nikola Tesla’s contributions to science. On Tesla’s 75th birthday in 1931, Einstein was asked by Time magazine to comment on Tesla’s work. He responded, "As an eminent pioneer in the realm of high frequency currents… I congratulate you on the great successes of your life’s work".

Tesla’s Unique Views Tesla’s views on light, energy, and the universe were indeed unique and revolutionary for his time. However, modern physics largely follows the principles set forth by Albert Einstein, including the theory of relativity and the mass-energy equivalence principle (E=mc²).

Ether and Light Propagation Tesla’s belief in ether as a medium for light propagation is not supported by modern physics. The concept of ether was discarded with the advent of Einstein’s theory of relativity.

Cosmic Rays and Speed of Light As for Tesla’s claim of intercepting cosmic rays that exceeded the speed of light, it contradicts one of the fundamental postulates of Einstein’s theory of relativity, which states that nothing can travel faster than light in a vacuum.

Space-Time and Curvature of Space Tesla’s disagreement with Einstein’s concept of space-time and the curvature of space around gravitational bodies is also not supported by modern physics. Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which includes these concepts, has been confirmed by numerous experiments and observations.

Conclusion In conclusion, while Tesla was a brilliant inventor and made significant contributions to science and technology, many of his theories are not supported by modern physics.