The Lightning Storm
(Photo by Enver Hanci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
On July 10, 1856, a storm that was accompanied by fiery thunderstorm raged in the night in Croatia, a poignant sign of what was happening; the future Master of Lightning, Nikola Tesla, was born. His father was an Orthodox priest who looked forward to his son joining the clergy. Nikola’s other career option was to be drafted into the military. His father convinced him to follow in his footsteps, but in a strange twist of events, Nikola contracted cholera while was getting ready to join the seminary. Tesla was only 17 years old. As the illness became worse, Nikola persuaded his father that he would get better if he were allowed to pursue Engineering. His father immediately promised to send him to the best technical college in the world. Tesla quickly recovered and later joined college at the age of 21.