The Serbian-born American scientist Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) could be used as the prototype of the "mad scientist."

    Tesla was the fourth of five children born to an Eastern Orthodox priest and his uneducated wife. His father was handy, making tools and appliances for use around the house. But Tesla credited his mother for his creativity and his eidetic memory (sometimes called "photographic memory," the ability to recall information after seeing or hearing it only briefly).

    He immigrated to the United States in his late 20s after working in Europe. He took a job in New York City with the famous Thomas Edison. After a disagreement with Edison over pay, Tesla left and formed his own company. But his partners were not ready for his new ideas, and eventually forced him out.

    Tesla's next company made deals with one of Edison's main competitors, George Westinghouse. At the time, Westinghouse was a proponent of alternating current (called "AC") and Edison's system used direct current ("DC"). The new partnership placed Tesla directly against Edison in what has been called the "War of Currents." Because DC power was more difficult to produce and deliver, eventually even Edison's systems were changed over to AC, and there is little use of DC in today's power grids.

    Tesla was a forward-thinking man. As early as the 1890s he was lighting his New York laboratories wirelessly, and he pioneered the use of remote control by radio waves. He experimented with x-rays, wireless telegraphy (perfected by Marconi), and many other new technologies of his day.

    In Tesla's later years his ideas became less and less practical, and his thoughts went off in unusual directions. His habits were strange. He ate dinner every night at exactly 8:10 p.m., and would only be served by the headwaiter. He also flexed the toes on each foot 100 times every night, claiming it stimulated his brain cells.

    In 1937 he was struck by a taxi, and thereafter was bedridden for much of his life. Tesla died alone in his hotel room at 86. His body was found by a maid.

    Vocabulary: Which word above means:

    1. machines and equipment used in the home

    2. considering the future

    3. forced to stay in bed

    4. one who promotes something

    5. model, perfect example

    6. bent, as a muscle

    7. without wires

    8. people going against each other, "enemies"

    9. like the Catholic Church in the West

    10. started using before others