Nikola Tesla was an inventor, engineer, and futurist who lived from 1856 to 1943. He is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system. He also made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of electromagnetism and wireless radio communications. Tesla's inventions, patents, and theoretical work formed the basis of modern-day AC electricity, and contributed to the development of radio, television, and robotics.