Re: Laser guided Tesla Coil

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Mddeming@xxxxxxx 

    Many of the popular-technology-type magazines of the first half 
of the 20th century contained three type of articles: "How To", "New 
Products & Processes" and some "Concept Articles" by futurists about 
predictions of things that might possibly come to be. Tesla never 
wrote the first type. In the earlier years, his name was quite 
frequently in the second group, and in the later years, he was an 
increasingly heavy contributor to the third type.
    He had a beautifully optimistic vision of the future and in the 
ability of technology to cure all the problems of mankind, as did 
other futurists from Verne and Wells, to Asimov and Bradbury. This 
was embedded in the Late Victorian philosophy of "Onward and upward 
forever!"  We know that many of his prognostications were right on, 
some were superceded by later developments, and some were just dead 
wrong, because they violated underlying physical principles.
    This does not take away from the great many things he did 
accomplish. His genius was in putting "things" together to create 
useful electrical and mechanical devices before anyone else thought 
of them. In applying electromagnetic phenomena he was unsurpassed, 
but in understanding the nature of EM phenomena, he was, IMO, a 
little light.This is OK,  just as the world's most creative master 
chefs being little light in the biology, organic and physical 
chemistry that underlie food, does not detract from their accomplishments.
    It is in the role of infallible prophet and "Electromagnetic 
Nostradamus", some of which was due to self-promotion, and some by 
post-mortem devotees, that problems occur and much time and energy is put into
dead-end efforts.
    Until relatively recently, (historically speaking), it was 
perfectly acceptable to offer as scientific "proof" the phrase 
"Aristotle said..." While this method has been discarded by the 
scientific community, many New-Agers are still comfortable with the 
"Proof" of "Tesla said.." or even "Tesla is reported to have said..."

    Fact: Tesla never developed the "ionizing ray" or lasers any 
more than the cartoonist to drew "Flash Gordan" did.
    Fact: No one has ever built a 10-12 MV coil.
    Fact: A Newspaper article titled, "Tesla Predicts....." does not 
mean it is, or ever was, possible.

Matt D.

"SKATAH!" Aristotle (c.300 BCE)


In a message dated 2/22/07 2:33:37 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
tesla@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
Original poster: "Gary Peterson" <g.peterson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>


>Original poster: "Anthony R. Mollner" <penny831@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>. . . How do you find these appropriate quotes anyways?
>Tony

I work with Tesla writings on a regular basis.  Perhaps it's like a
cowboy remembering individuals in a herd of cattle.  I guess you
could say that I'm a word wrangler.  Also the "Edit; Find" feature helps a lot.

Here's another quote that's equally appropriate for this thread:

"There is a method of conveying great power to ships at sea which
would be able to propel them across oceans at high speed.  This
method I conceived between 1897 and 1899, and in Colorado Springs in
1899 I made experiments along this line on a large scale.

"The principle is this: A ray of great ionizing power is used to give
to the atmosphere great powers of conduction.  A high tension current
of 10,000,000 to 12,000,000 volts is then passed along this ray to
the upper strata of the air, which strata can be broken down very
readily and will conduct electricity very well.

"A ship would have to have equipment for producing a similar ionizing
ray. The current which has passed through the stratosphere will
strike this ray, travel down it and pass into the engines which
propel the ship. [Tesla Predicts Ships Powered by Shore Beam, New
York Herald Tribune, May 5, 1935, www.tfcbooks.com/tesla/1935-05-05.htm .]

Regards,
Gary







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