Nikola Tesla and the Pigeon Love Story

This is the last Superheroes of Science post! Technically it ended yesterday, I know, but I had to take a pause for Margo’s cool blogfests. I’m glad you all love the Balloon Epicness so much.

Now, coincidences! The last post from a participant* is on the same scientist than mine! You should all click to read Sommer’s list of Five Nikola Tesla Weirdo Facts. They’re hilarious (so are the comments), and I’m about to add a sixth!

*If I haven’t linked to your post through the week, you should absolutely poke me. I’ve tried to catch everyone as they went up.

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Among a lot of other things, Nikola Tesla is the inventor of alternative current and the first to prove wireless communication was possible. He lived at about the same time as Edison and was in constant competition with him, which sucks big time because as far as Ethics go, Edison isn’t a star student. Anyway. This is Science Love week, not Unethical Scientist Bashing Week. So, moving on!

Tesla never had a lot of money, but he sure had a lot of drive. He did what he wanted, whether that was wild experiences with electricity or being scared of round things (okay, Sommer, I promise I’m not stealing the rest of your thunder!)

He also loved pigeons.
He always opened his hotel room’s windows to let them in, and he fed them. He set up small beds in his room for them, and would draw the attention of so many that they often threw him out after pigeon excrements had defaced the outside walls around his room. When he lived in New York, he’d walked to Central Park every day to feed the pigeons. The money problems didn’t matter. Nikola Tesla fed the pigeons.

Then came the one

His loved for pigeons focused upon a single creature. It was no longer a ‘pigeons deserve to be fed and loved’. It was soul-crushing, all-encompassing love.

Don’t believe me? Here are his words on the subject…

“Yes, I loved that pigeon, I loved her as a man loves a woman, and she loved me.”

He had a strong, unbreakable link with that pigeon and was convinced they communicated. One day she flew in his hotel room, and he knew. She was going to die.

“When that pigeon died, something went out of my life. Up to that time I knew a certainty that I would complete my work, no matter how ambitious my program, but when that something went out of my life, I knew my life’s work was finished.”

I feel for him. I’m not much of an electricity girl, but I can say that I share this with Nikola Tesla. I love a Pigeon, and feed him when he comes to my house. No, no need to call the asylum. It’s my boyfriend’s last name. :D

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That’s it! Keep an eye on the blog next week to know which of you awesome guys won Forgotten Gods! Have a great weekend.

photo credit: Juan Ignacio Garay

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