A Germaphobe with an Obsession for Numbers

Tesla had several peculiar habits. He was a germaphobe and washed his hands frequently. He also had a strong obsession with the number three. He would walk around a block three times before entering a building and insisted on staying in hotel rooms with numbers divisible by three. Tesla would stay in hotel rooms that were divisible by 3! 

His obsession with the number 3 was part of his peculiar habits. He had a deep fascination with numbers, particularly 3, 6, and 9, which he believed held the key to understanding the universe. Tesla would go to great lengths to adhere to this pattern, whether it was choosing rooms, walking around a building three times before entering, or performing tasks in sets of three.

Master of Lightning: 

Tesla’s obsession with electricity was legendary, and he wasn’t afraid to get hands-on. He would often use his own body in demonstrations, allowing electricity to flow through him while lighting up bulbs or shooting lightning bolts from his Tesla coil. Audiences were awestruck by his ability to “play” with electricity—Tesla truly became the "master of lightning."

Pigeon Whisperer: 

Tesla had a deep affection for pigeons. He would regularly visit parks in New York City to feed and care for them. One particular white pigeon became his closest companion, and Tesla claimed to love her as he would a human. He once said, “I loved that pigeon as a man loves a woman, and she loved me.” Her death devastated him, and he reportedly believed his life’s work was over after she passed.

Invented the Remote Control:

Tesla is credited with inventing the first remote control. In 1898, he demonstrated a radio-controlled boat at Madison Square Garden, which amazed the audience. At the time, people thought he was performing some kind of magic or telepathy, but it was the world’s first step toward the wireless technology we now take for granted, from drones to TV remotes.

A Life Fueled by Insomnia: 

Tesla claimed that he only slept two hours a night! He believed that sleep was unnecessary and a waste of time. Instead, he took power naps throughout the day to recharge. Despite his unusual sleep schedule, he was incredibly productive and continued to work long hours on his many inventions.

Shaking the Earth: 

Tesla built a device called a mechanical oscillator—basically a steam-powered resonator—that could generate vibrations. While testing it, the device allegedly caused such intense shaking in his laboratory that nearby buildings in New York experienced tremors, leading people to believe it was an earthquake! Tesla quickly shut it off before things got worse, but the episode earned him the reputation of being able to "shake the world."

Unrealized Wireless Power: 

Tesla dreamed of creating a world where electricity would be transmitted wirelessly through the air. He built the Wardenclyffe Tower, a massive structure on Long Island, in an attempt to realize this vision. The idea was to broadcast free energy across the globe, but the project ran out of funding before it could be completed. If successful, Tesla could have revolutionized the way we use energy.

Tesla and Edison’s Rivalry: 

Tesla famously worked for Thomas Edison, but their relationship soured quickly. Tesla proposed improvements to Edison’s Direct Current (DC) systems, which Edison rejected. Tesla later developed Alternating Current (AC), which turned into the “War of the Currents” between him and Edison. AC eventually became the dominant form of electricity used worldwide, though Edison tried hard to discredit it.

He Claimed to Have Built a “Death Ray”: 

Toward the end of his life, Tesla claimed to have invented a powerful weapon he called the "Death Ray", which he said could destroy aircraft or armies from a distance. He referred to it as a "teleforce" weapon, capable of bringing nations to their knees. While no evidence of this invention ever surfaced, the idea captured the imaginations of many, leading to conspiracy theories about secret weapons and Tesla’s hidden knowledge.

A Rival to Marconi: 

Although Guglielmo Marconi is often credited with inventing the radio, Tesla actually demonstrated radio transmission years earlier. Tesla’s patents were used by Marconi to develop his version, leading to a legal battle. In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court posthumously ruled in Tesla’s favor, recognizing him as the true inventor of the radio.

Photographic Memory and Visualization: 

Tesla had a photographic memory and could visualize his inventions with such clarity that he didn’t need to write them down or build models. He could mentally work out complex systems in his head and claimed to see flashes of inspiration in vivid detail. This ability allowed him to create intricate machines and ideas without the typical trial and error.

He Inspired Modern Robotics: 

Tesla’s work in electromechanics and wireless control laid the groundwork for modern robotics. He even spoke of machines that could think and act independently, predicting the rise of automation and robotics decades before it became a reality.