Part 2, Al Bielek: Nikola Tesla's Real Life Story

In reality, Project Invisibility started in 1931. Later, Nikola Tesla oversaw the undertaking as its technical director. Yet it started in 1931.

In reality, Project Invisibility started in 1931. Later, Nikola Tesla oversaw the undertaking as its technical director. Yet it started in 1931. I'll give you a brief overview of Tesla's life before I continue. Tesla got together, as he had done with other people in the past on numerous projects.

A photograph image of Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) at age 34. Wikipedia.

At the time, Dr. John Hutchinson, the dean of the university's School of Engineering, and a staff physicist by the name of Dr. Emil Kirtenauer were working with Tesla at the University of Chicago. These individuals, including Tesla, gathered for a theoretical discussion on the questions of whether it is possible to make an object invisible and, if so, how. This study was conducted entirely on paper, and as a result, no hardware was developed during this period.

In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated as President of the United States. He knew Tesla from World War I. Of course, Roosevelt was undersecretary of the Navy at this point during World War I, and Tesla was invited and asked if he would work for the government during World War I instead of doing something else. Of course, this created a friendship between Roosevelt and Tesla, and when Roosevelt became president, Tesla was invited to Washington.

“Oh, Nicola, what have you been up to lately?” Nicola talked about his theoretical work and what he had done, and most importantly, he worked on researching programs for invisibility. And at that time, it was purely theoretical. But the uneducated Roosevelt considered this a very interesting project. and he says, “I think it’s interesting for the military.” And he said, “I’ll make sure you make some money to fund this project." And it will be moved from Chicago to New Jersey, to the Institute for Advanced Study, which he just founded. In 1933, the doors were opened to its activities.

And four mathematicians were original scientists assigned to it.

They were invited and, of course, paid. Dr. John von Neumann:
He received an almost exorbitant salary—$10,000 a year—to become a staff member of the Institute. A man named Dr. Alexander agreed:
He was not part of this project. A man named Dr. Osvald Veblen has joined the staff.