5 Beloved Scientists Who Were Actually Bullies
Electrocuting animals, stealing credit, self-aggrandizing, and more Unfortunately, scientific genius doesn't necessarily come with superhuman social skills. The great minds on this list may have made significant contributions to their fields, but even hundreds of years later, we're still shaking our heads at their petty, ruthless, dishonest, and downright cruel behavior. 1. Thomas Edison, The Animal Torturer In 1884, Nikola Tesla moved to New York City to meet Edison, who was famous for his low-voltage, direct-current electricity. Tesla believed the higher-voltage alternating current electricity was superior and suggested creating an AC-powered motor, but Edison claimed it was too dangerous. Instead, Edison promised the recent immigrant $50,000 (over $1 million today) if he could improve upon his DC generators, or "dynamos." After toiling for several months and making significant advances, he returned for his reward, only for Edison to say, "When you become a full-fledged American, you will appreciate an American joke." Tesla quit-but...