Today in the history of astronomy, the father of radio astronomy is born.
Though his ideas seemed wild at the time, much of Nikola Tesla’s work laid the foundation for future astronomy research and robotic space exploration. Credit: Napoleon Sarony/Wikimedia
Inventor Nikola Tesla was born July 10, 1856, in what is now Croatia (then part of the Austrian Empire). In 1899, Tesla recorded cosmic radio waves in his Colorado Springs, Colorado, laboratory. Though he believed the waves were extraterrestrial signals from another planet, today we know that they are part of the spectrum of an electromagnetic field emitted by astronomical objects, leading to Tesla being known as the “father of radio astronomy.” In 1900, Tesla began work on Wardeclyffe wireless broadcasting tower on Long Island, New York, planning for it facilitate communication with the other planets in the solar system. Though funding for the project fell apart before it was completed, many of his ideas were foundational to today’s telecommunications industry. His work with remote controls was also a precursor to future space exploration: He demonstrated a radio-guided boat in 1898, laying the groundwork for computer-guided spaceships and robotic cosmic exploration.
