“My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists.” -Nikola Tesla

Brilliant man, but he also believed in the luminiferous aether.

Yeah, he also didn't think nuclear power was achievable,which just proves no one is perfect..

But I can't think of anyone more genius than Tesla or Da Vinci.. and knowing their thoughts on these things is interesting =)

We can add "believed he had detected radio signals from Martians" to the list, too. I understand that Tesla was a great deal more intelligent than myself, but I'm skeptical of idols and heroes, and he was thinking in a different time without even having a thorough general education by his own time's standards. I can actually understand his belief about Martian radio signals, given his limited knowledge by modern standards and the fact that he probably lacked the statistical analysis to determine what patterns were relatively likely to appear by chance. He was undoubtedly very intelligent, but I don't think "Tesla believed it" is a compelling case for something being probable. It is interesting as historical trivia.

John von Neumann might make the list of "more intelligent," depending on how we define intelligence... not that I'm trying to idolize him, either!

Edit: To not be a total downer, I'll add my favorite Tesla quote (from 93 years ago):

> When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which in fact it is, all things being particles of a real and rhythmic whole. We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. Not only this, but through television and telephony we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though we were face to face, despite intervening distances of thousands of miles; and the instruments through which we shall be able to do his will be amazingly simple compared with our present telephone. A man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket.

I agree, I never meant to imply that his thoughts make it probable. I just think his thoughts are interesting, someone so smart and able to deduce so much about invisible phenomena, not wanting to take credit for any of his incredible ideas being his own.. Maybe he was just overly modest?

so did Plato and Aristotle, so why the "but"

What is the difference between luminiferous aether and the electro-magnetic field?

Edit: Context

The aether was assumed to be a medium through which electromagnetic waves propagate - like sound through air, or waves through liquids and solids.