The Problem of Increasing Human Energy

NIKOLA TESLA was one of the most influential inventors of the last century. Eventually holding over 700 patents, Tesla worked in a number of fields, including electricity, robotics, radar, and the wireless transmission of energy. His discoveries laid the groundwork for many of the twentieth century's greatest technological advances.

This book explains Tesla's thoughts on humanity's relationship with the universe, and also his explanation and scientific extrapolation on the technological advancements embodied in his work.

This text, first published in Century Illustrated Magazine in June 1900, is yet another example of the genius of Nikola Tesla.

Contents

Introduction

The onward movement of humanityThe energy of the movementThe three ways of increasing human energy

1

The first problem: how to increase human massThe burning of atmospheric nitrogen

2

The second problem: how to reduce the force retarding the human massThe art of telautomatics

3

The third problem: how to increase the force accelerating the human massThe harnessing of the Sun's energy

4

The source of human energyThe three ways of drawing energy from the Sun

5

Great possibilities offered by iron for increasing human performanceEnormous waste in iron manufacture

6

Economical production of iron by a new process

7

The coming of age of aluminiumThe doom of the copper industryThe great civilizing potency of the new metal

8

Efforts toward obtaining more energy from coalElectric transmissionThe gas engineThe cold-coal battery

9

Energy from the mediumThe windmill and the solar engineMotive power from terrestrial heatElectricity from natural sources

10

A departure from known methodsThe possibility of a 'self-acting' engine or machineThe ideal way of obtaining motive power

11

First efforts to produce the self-acting engineThe mechanical oscillatorThe work of Dewar and LindeLiquid air

12

Discovery of unexpected properties of the atmosphereStrange experimentsTransmission of electrical energy through one wire without returnTransmission through the Earth without any wire

13

Wireless telegraphyThe secret of tuningErrors in the Hertzian investigationsA receiver of wonderful sensitivity

14

Development of a new principleThe electrical oscillatorProduction of immense electrical movementsThe Earth responds to manInterplanetary communication now probable

15

Transmission of electrical energy to any distance without wires now possibleThe best means of increasing the force accelerating the human mass