Like a Flash of Lightning, the Poo Was Revealed

If one were to stand at the corner of 40th Street and 6th Avenue in New York City and look a bit skyward, they would surely notice the "Nikola Tesla Corner" street sign. Of all the street type designations, I think "Corner" may be my favorite - cozy connotations come to mind, such as Tesla himself sitting by a fire with a cup of tea in his hand, a cat snoozing in his lap.

On a completely separate note, "2nd Street" is the most common street name in the United States; "1st Street" ranks third.

Back to Tesla. The street sign that bares his name serves as a constant reminder of his work, and would also be a wonderful stop on a scavenger hunt, I think (my clue of choice: Find the prize where fluorescent lighting meets the Americas). Yes, Tesla discovered fluorescent light. He also discovered rotating magnetic fields, alternating currents and in 1943 the United States Supreme Court named Tesla as the inventor of the radio, a blow to Marconi fans I'm sure. It is rumored that Tesla was born precisely at midnight in the midst of an electrical storm, which is perhaps the most fitting entry into the world as anyone could ever hope for. When Tesla died of heart failure at 86, alone, in the New Yorker Hotel, he was significantly less popular than Thomas Edison and it can be argued that this is still the case today. I find Tesla to be a much more compelling figure than Edison (not to mention the more groundbreaking inventor of the two). And when it really comes down to it, only Tesla can claim that David Bowie portrayed him in a movie.

I recently read a quite endearing story about Nikola Tesla and how far he would go for the few friends he had. Tesla was prone to alienating himself and never married. He remained celibate throughout most of his life, which he believed boosted his scientific abilities. Tesla devoted his life to his research, claiming those with true passion for their work held no outside interests - including women. In his middle age, though, Tesla developed a very close friendship with Samuel Longhorne Clemens (AKA Mark Twain). The following is the story of how Nikola Tesla, who once said Mark Twain's books saved his life, was able to return the favor to his beloved author friend:

Tesla discovered mechanical therapy accidentally. After stepping on the platform where his mechanical oscillator resided, Tesla felt strange, yet enjoyable vibrations pass through his body. He asked several assistants to stand on the platform and they, too, felt the same pleasant sensation as Tesla. After a short period of time, however, the inventor and his assistants all felt the overwhelming, pressing urge to defecate. I imagine this sensation washing over the men simultaneously, expressions of discomfort and urgency taking over their faces as they race to the restroom for release and relief. Comedic gold if you ask me. Tesla said the truth dawned upon him like a flash of lightning: "these isochronous rapid oscillations stimulated powerfully the peristaltic movements which propel the food-stuffs through the alimentary channels." Voilà! The original Metamucil! Apparently, Mark Twain suffered from several distressing ailments, constipation being one of them. In less than 2 months, the (True) Father of the Radio had cured the Father of American Literature and Twain regained his sprightly vigor (and regular bowel movements). Shortly after Tesla discovered mechanical therapy, a fire erupted in his New York lab, destroying priceless records and apparatus, among them the mechanical oscillator.

Things we lost in the fire....