Nikola Tesla may not be a computer hero in the strict sense of the term, but he embodies many of the qualities that define one. Born on July 10, 1856, he was the visionary inventor who helped shape the modern world.

From an early age, Tesla displayed an extraordinary personality. He was known for his remarkable memory, his intense aversion to germs, and his uncanny ability to visualize complex machines in his mind before building them. Today, some historians and psychologists have speculated that certain aspects of his behavior might be consistent with traits we now associate with the autism spectrum or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, although no diagnosis is possible in retrospect. Whatever the explanation, these traits contributed to both his extraordinary genius and his lifelong struggles.

Tesla's pioneering work on alternating current (AC), polyphase power systems, transformers, and induction motors revolutionized the generation and distribution of electricity. His inventions laid the foundation for the electrical infrastructure that powers our civilization. Over the course of his career, he was granted around 300 patents worldwide.

His work was the driving force of his life, and he never married. While his devotion to science played a major role in that decision, his eccentric habits and unconventional lifestyle also set him apart from most people.

Long before the digital age, Tesla envisioned a world connected through wireless communication, where people could exchange messages, images, and information instantly across vast distances. Reading his predictions today, it's hard not to think of the internet, smartphones, and global connectivity. In many ways, he imagined the future—and spent his life trying to build it.

Despite his brilliance, Tesla died in poverty. He poured nearly everything he earned back into his research and ambitious experiments. He also maintained an elegant lifestyle that often exceeded his means, partly because it allowed him to mingle with wealthy investors whose support he hoped would bring his boldest ideas to life.

In the broadest sense, Tesla was a hacker: someone who looked at the world differently, challenged established ideas, and bent the laws of nature to humanity's advantage. By mastering electricity, he made possible the reliable power grids that sustain modern civilization. Every data center, every server farm, every personal computer, and nearly every piece of digital technology owes something to the electrical revolution that Tesla helped create.

Happy birthday to one of history's greatest inventors—a man whose ideas continue to power our world, more than a century later.