Edison was known to electrocute animals to demonstrate the dangers of Tesla’s alternating current. He seemed to believe that this was a valid argument for direct current, which he preferred despite it being less practical for wide-spread use. While Edison’s insanity is certainly good for a laugh,

At the end of a busy day filled with hubris and animal execution, wouldn’t you like to relax to a good light show and musical performance? I know I would! Luckily for us, Tesla not only developed the better method of current, but also made some pretty ingenious devices which to this day people are still finding new uses for.

The tesla coil above is not dancing along to the music; it is making the music. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Edison! (Video via The Miskatonic Archive, where you can see some more of the same, including some musical tesla coils frolicking with a jedi.)

Ironically, while people eventually came to their senses and agreed that Tesla’s mode of current was the more practical of the two, and despite the fact that Tesla invented radio and at the time of his death was working on a death ray for national defense, Tesla died impoverished and alone and is unknown to all but the cognisanti today; while Edison’s name is forever driven into the heads of school children.

On another note, I think a musical tesla coil would make a really awesome, yet highly impractical, steampunk doorbell. Just the image of opening the door to find solicitors have soiled themselves in abject terror and run from the premises makes me giggle like a schoolgirl.

• You’ve been served
• Vote, dammit!
• Universal Noise of Funk
• The Internet has come full circle.
• Rainbow Road is where we go when we die (and you’re in Hell, and have to listen to this song forever)