Nicolai Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer, best known for his contributions to the development of alternating current (AC) electrical systems. Born on July 10, 1856, in Smiljan, Croatia, he emigrated to the United States in 1884, where he worked briefly with Thomas Edison before establishing his own laboratory. Tesla's inventions include the Tesla coil, which is used in radio technology, and the induction motor, which revolutionized the way electrical energy is converted into mechanical power. He held over 300 patents and is often credited with laying the groundwork for modern electrical engineering and wireless communication.