Chances are that you will see little mention of a guy named Nikola Tesla, the most famous scientist in the world at the turn of the century. In fact, few people today have ever heard of the guy. Good old Tommy Edison made sure of that. After all, Tesla was considered an eccentric who talked of death rays that could destroy 10,000 airplanes at a distance of 250 miles, claimed to be able split the Earth in two, believed that both voice and image could be transmitted through the air (in the late 1800's), and essentially told Edison to take his DC electrical system and stick it you know where.