'mad genius'

[Danzig]

it's been my understanding since first reading about tesla, that the term 'mad scientist' was coined for him.
in the link below, it talks about some of the things he invented....not listed are some others. he was the first to invent radio controlled machines such as boats-something he tried to sell to the American govt, namely the navy, to use as a weapon against the enemy. he hoped such things would end war. he also envisioned cell phones, and of course, wireless power.
yes, he had an aversion to pearls, but he also could not stand pierced ears.
his story of giving an invention, a death ray, to the waldorf Astoria as collateral for his unpaid rent is hilarious.
when he finally died, and his nephew came to settle his estate, the hotel told him about this invention...in a box, they were warned to never, ever open it because it was so dangerous.
it was a harmless bit of wiring and such.
he made Westinghouse successful, while making himself a pauper due to tearing up his patent contract when Westinghouse hit a rough patch.
but, he didn't care about money...he is one of the most interesting people I have ever studied.

http://www.slate.com/features/madgenius/