“I Expect to Photograph Thoughts.” - Nikola Tesla
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By Paintgirl18
- “I Expect to Photograph Thoughts.” - Nikola Tesla
- Created: Sep 13, 2007
- Last updated: Aug 14, 2008
- After episode: 3.22: Through The Looking Glass
- Status: Current
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“I expect to photograph thoughts.” - Nikola Tesla
— Paintgirl18
We all know how Lost began, with the close up of Jack’s eye. I remember thinking that the way it was shot, that someone or something was observing him.(probably the smoke monster) And it happens on usually every character that has a flashback scene; the camera will zoom in on that person’s eye.
The reason I bring this up, is because I found some very interesting information regarding Nikola Tesla and an invention that he wanted to make that involved the eye. Nikola Tesla invented several things that we use today such as wireless transfer of electricity, Various devices that use rotating magnetic fields, the Induction motor, rotary transformers, “high” frequency alternators, The Tesla coil- his magnifying transmitter, and other means for increasing the intensity of electrical oscillations, and systems for wireless communication. So today I read something about Nikola Tesla that I had never heard of and it made me think of the smoke monster. Nikola Tesla expected to be able to photograph thoughts. Yes, he wanted to build a “Thought Camera”.
Here’s a description from wikipedia:
“Nikola theorized that thoughts in the mind create a corresponding image in the retina, and that the electrical data of this neural transmission could be read and recorded in a machine. Then the captured information could then be processed through an “artificial optic nerve” and played back as visual patterns on a view screen.”
So taking into account all of the focus on the characters’ eyes, I began to think this might be something to look into. And then I remembered the episode, “Left Behind”. Kate and Juliet were handcuffed to each other and running in the jungle when Smoky came after them. They hid in either a tree or some bamboo, but we saw Smoky flash a light at Juliet as if it was taking pictures of her! This could possibly be the “technology” that Nikola wanted to make. And maybe this is what Ben uses to capture thoughts and memories….that is, of course, IF he captures people’s thoughts, which I think is a big possibility! So, what do you think?
Oh, one more thing, Tesla was also involved in secret time travel experiments involving contact with a resonating electromagnetic charge. (reminds me of Desmond and the swan) Nikola supposedly found himself outside his time-frame reference. He said that he was able to see the past, present and future, all at once. He was, however, unable to do anything about it and thankfully his assistant released him from the charge before any permanent damage could be done. However, this very incident would happen again only years later during the Philadelphia Experiment. Unfortunately, the sailors that participated in the Experiment were left outside their time-frame reference for too long. Which was disastrous! The Philadelphia Experiment is really intriguing and I recommend reading about it.
Key characters
| Short Name | Full Name | Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben | Benjamin Linus | 3.20, 4.9, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13 | 1579 |
| Desmond | Desmond David Hume | 2.23, 3.17, 4.5 | 804 |
| Juliet | Juliet Burke | 3.7, 3.16, 4.6 | 316 |
| Kate | Katherine “Kate” Austen | 3.6, 1.2, 1.3, 2.9, 1.12, 1.16, 1.22, 3.15, 4.4, 4.12 | 678 |
Key episodes
| # | Title | Aired | Central character | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.15 | Left Behind | 4-4-2007 | Kate | 194 |
Was anything actually published (later on obviously) concerning his “time-travel” experements that soun credible? I admit that it does sound really cool, but a little out there…
I agree - the Philadelphia Experement is absolutely inriguing.
I like the eye thoughts. Its a very ocular day today. +1
I like the eye thoughts too - life through a lens!
Thats really interesting paintgirl and i wouldnt be at all surprised if the name Tesla is used in a yet to be seen orientation video..+1
Paintgirl: nice info. I didn’t know so much about Tesla. Thanks to you I started reading about him. But I must say.. after reading what I read. I believe Tesla was a great inventor, but that time got the best of him, and that he became totally insane… here’s just a little personality information from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla#Personality)
“Tesla may have suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder, and had many unusual quirks and phobias. He did things in threes, and was adamant about staying in a hotel room with a number divisible by three. Tesla was also noted to be physically revolted by jewelry, notably pearl earrings. He was fastidious about cleanliness and hygiene, and was by all accounts germaphobic. He greatly disliked touching round objects and human hair other than his own.
Tesla was obsessed with pigeons, ordering special seeds for the pigeons he fed in the central park and even bringing some into his hotel room with him.”
There is much much more…
In other words… let’s be careful about what that man says :) Also.. the Philadephia Experiment is widely regarded as a hoax you know.
Anyway.. +1 from me for letting me know about Tesla! :)
“Tesla lived the last ten years of his life in a two-room suite on the 33rd floor of the Hotel New Yorker, room 3327. There, near the end of his life, when Tesla was slipping into what many consider an altered state of mind, he would claim to be visited by a specific white pigeon daily. Several biographers note that Tesla viewed the death of the pigeon as a “final blow” to himself and his work.”
I have nothing against pigeons you know but… hmm… errr… yeah :)
Wow, I love it PG. I think that’s exactly what is going on. There’s an odd parallel then between Ben and the viewer isn’t there?
xiv—I never thought the Montauk experiment was real. I don’t think these things have to be real for the writers to be using them.
I read a book on the history of the concept of infinity once that mentioned how many people that studied or worked with that concept went nuts—and more generally the propensity of people who work with very highly abstract concepts (especially mathematical) to lose touch with reality—yes, I know, this is what happens when you sit around all day coming up with odd theories and speculations, ….ummmm…..
There is a guy named Ron Mallett (physicist @ UConn) who is actually working on a time travel; has an intriguing biography about what led him to pursue the research: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWnoMaSgYPY
Very cool PG. Interesting tie in to Cerberus and why they may focus in on the eye.
yeeaaah :) maybe Tesla is the answer to our the Lost Questions.
T.E.S.L.A = True Elaborated but Simple Lost Answers ! :)
PG: Amazing post! I really think you’re onto something. +1
jaz: Hope you don’t mean we’ll all be drooling and rattling off numbers by 2010!!!!
Thanks for the comments everyone!
There’s something I forgot to mention or suggest. I discussed the idea that Smoky can take information from the person, but what if Smoky can input or implant information too?
Stip mentioned mind control or mind implants awhile back and this might be how it’s done. I am not talking about a literal insertion into the person’s body or head. But just how the “thought camera” takes pictures through the eye in effort to read the person’s mind; maybe it can use the person’s eye to implant thoughts, images, or memories as well.
For example, this may be how Jack saw his dad, Ben saw his mother, and Eko saw his brother, etc. Maybe Smoky doesn’t literally change form, but rather does something to the person’s eye or mind to make them believe that they are seeing these people or things, when in actuality, it is all just an illusion….. Just another thought….
Thanks again for the feedback! :)
xiv—genius and insanity sometimes go hand in hand. Their brains are just working differently than the average person. Autism is a perfect example of a “disease” state but they’re not really considered insane (See Temple Grandin…amazing mind) Its really interesting. The trick is trying to determine which is which is tricky. But even our favorite Synchronicity guy, Carl Jung, was eating feces by the time his mind totally went..
and Fred’s namesake too :-(
Though since one of the signs of his “madness” was protecting a horse that was being whipped, it seems a kind of inspired madness…
Good post, PG. And good comments all.
I echo jaz… whether or not Tesla’s claims or true or the Philadelphia and Montauk experiments really happened, they could still be fodder for a compelling story. Actually, they ARE fodder for compelling stories. Tesla, for example, recently popped up as a character in a film called “The Prestige”.
Paintgirl: I think we may have some real karma going on here? Without going in to much detail, myself along with most of all of the other Lost enthusist’s here am scouring the web for any new clues that I might uncover. Athough this is not exactly in line with the Tesla theory,it may be on the same track?? The link to what I am talking about is http://au.yahoo.com/lost/clue/clues302.html There are a lot of other interesting video clips on this site as well. If someone has already posted about this I will apologize in advance. I have a lot of other theories bouncing around, but I really am having trouble getting them down as to be able to actually post any of it . Just let me say ,I am very verbose even when it comes to written words. L8r ; ^ I + } Translated :No laughing matter
I almost forgot to vote a very large + 1 Paint Girl
Hi PG,
An original and interesting post! the best kind.
Tesla, Tesla, I was thinking I’m sure I’ve heard that name before, and then I remembered a post on this site … http://lost-theories.com/theories/2007/aug/13/fate-flight-815-prestige/
and then of course I remembered the film The Prestige where that plot
{{spolier ALERT IF YOU HAVENT SEEN IT}}…
[[spoiler ALERT]]
dealt with Tesla constructing a device which was supposed to teleport people but instead duplicated them bi-location style.
It’s only after reading your post I thought Hmmmmm, I wonder how a blind person, or perhaps someone with cataracts would fare on the island?
good post +1
Hey Solar: I think the whole bi-location subject is something to look into….very intriguing! Especially with the Orchid video and the rabbits….and also, it reminded me of the scene where Walt was asked the question, “Have you been somewhere you weren’t suppose to be?” (or something like that…) So thanks for that info.!
Katesaw: Thanks for the link! …very interesting! And thanks for your comments as well, I really appreciate it!
Kat: I agree! It does go with Locke’s statement to Kate. He implied that everyone sees something different!
You know, when Locke makes statements like that, he gives me the impression that he knows what’s really going on. Like he knows that what he is seeing isn’t real, but rather an illusion of some kind. It’s like he just gets it; that there’s an important purpose or lesson for seeing these illusions.
Hey PG:)
This is an excellent read, nice work!
Solarchap, I finally really read Gman82’s theory for the first time. I just barely skimmed over it initially.
i have see the movie and will watch it again now.
I think you were right to post a spoiler alert because this theory has been overlooked in my opinion.
It has a few kinks in it but I think it is spot on. Thanks for reminding us about it!
“I have seen” even… must be the excitement. ;)
Solarchap, I just thought of another way Gman’s theory makes so much sense.
We have often speculated that the Others were just pretending to be Dharma to keep being supplied but didn’t know how they could pull a charade like that off.
Voilà! Carbon copy of yourself. Just keep a few stations active like the Flame (communications) and the Swan (whatever it did) and tell Dharma everything is hunky dorey.
Sorry to high jack your thread PG. :)
i saw a thought on jack `s eye in pilot part one,
the moment he opens his eye i paused it and start zooming in and i saw a skull shape figure in his pupil. i mentioned before on a comment but i guess nobody read it.
http://www.lost-theories.com/theories/2007/sep/03/first-look/
-1, I haven’t read any of the comments, but let me tell you this, Tesla is a IDIOT. I have studied mathematics and I have a degree, I don’t want to sound snobish, but anyone can make up gibbish. If you ask academia about Tesla they will tell you he was just a deranged human being. Please, please please, do not make this IDIOT a hero.
Sham flips on his desk lamp powered by alternating current and turns on his radio to catch the local news.
That seems like an awfully closed minded think to say billinsandiego. I rather wish you would read the comments.
I don’t mean to sound snobbish mind you, but I haven’t heard your name mentioned in the local edition of Science Weekly lately.
I guess Edison sure showed Tesla a thing or two when it came to electricity huh? NOT
GO TO ANY university THAT IS accredited IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT TESLA IS AN I-D-I-O-T. I do have idols, namely three people whom I feel were the greatest mathematicians of all time (Euclid, Newton and Einstein). and no I am not any of these people. I am this a guy that was born and raised in San Diego. I do have a minor in Physics and I never studied Tesla. I only hear about the guy from ill-informed people that have never studied any type of related course work.
I think we pretty much get the fact that you don’t like Tesla and that your, well, kind of an angry person.
Maybe you should take a moment (and a big breath) and consider reading about the guy.
Hey Billinsandiego,
It’s alright! :) You are in titled to your own opinion. So it’s all good! But I want to clarify something. I never called Tesla a hero. I just simply shared some important facts about him. I think the writers’ could possibly be inspired by one of his ideas. So I agree with Kat that Tesla’s mental state has nothing to do with the writers’ decision to incorporate one of his ideas.
Oh, and it’s an Idiot; not a Idiot.
You forgot to end that with “namaste” PG. :)
Bill, whoa there… well see, perhaps reading the comments would have served you some justice. In the comments, it is mentioned that Tesla was a deranged soul but it does not mean that the writers won’t or can’t use his ideas as a part of the show. His mental state has no reflection upon the writers’ choice of creativity.
And if it did, some of the already mentioned philosophers and physicist correlated in the show wouldn’t be in it.
I dunno… with all do respect, I think that’s an unfair call.
Kat: did I just duplicate your comment? Yeah, check it out, I was just sitting here reading and then Sham turned on his radio and I felt this like…shockwave hit me and all of sudden, blammo, there was my response and it reads amazingly a lot like yours. Shazam! I think I had a Telsa moment.
Stip starts talking like Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: “…the next chick that takes me on is gonna light up like a pinball machine and pay off in silver dollars…”
+7,418,880 from me PG!
Man, I’m having a moment here…
Should I go with shamtech or shazam? Because I am diggin’ shazam.
And why am I always having this identity crisis?
Oh and word to the wise billbo…
Don’t mess with PaintGirl.
Namaste
i back you on this one sham
get off pg bill
Gracias El Nino! :)
Shazam! :)
Look, seriously Bill, it’s cool! I have read about Tesla and, yes, he had “issues”. So, I “get” what you are saying! What I “don’t get” is all the defensiveness. It’s just so….unnecessary! I mean, we’re talking about a fictional show; not the validity of scientists, physicists, and mathematicians. Think about it! :)
BTW, I think that Crazy Ol’ Tesla deserves some credit for all of his contributions to our way of life. “Wireless Electricity” - sounds pretty valid to me…insane or not! But, that’s just my opinion. :)
Namaste! :)
sorry PG to fly back in here, & yes, you are right, billsandiego has a right to his opinion, but there is a way of writing things and for a self-professed mathmatician I would expect more clarity not personal feelings. He or she never replied to the thread on an earlier theory by BadTempor (Regret & redemption) where Shams puts him right about keeping an open mind as far as time travel goes and where I reiterate Godel’s inconsistency theorem for him to ponder, him being the mathmatician with a degree and all, but he has stil not replied, Instead he came on your thread and i get the feeling he doesn’t like Tesla!
and the most pertinent point is once again, Shams, and I must requote it coz it was so good and accurate……”I don’t mean to sound snobbish mind you, but I haven’t heard your name mentioned in the local edition of Science Weekly lately. ”
Bravo & so true!
p.s yeah i do think gman’s theory got overlooked.
Okay billinsandiego, I get it that you think Tesla was an “idiot”. I have another name to throw your way, Minkowski. You said in your previous post that Einstein was one of your idols,Right. If memory serves me correctly, I believe that he expounded on Einstein’s theory. In “Through the Looking Glass”, when Jack spoke to the person on the other end of that phone, he said his name was Minkowski. After researching on that name, I came up with a few interesting things. 1. Hermann Minkowski, Space and Time. addressed the 80th Assembly Of German Natural Scientist’s And Physicians, ,on his views of space and time. http://alcor.concordia.ca/~vpetkov/book.html 2. The date of that address was Setember 21,1908 The reason I believe that to be of significance is that somewhere I know that I saw a screen shot of a baggage claim ticket with the name Jack Shephard ,that purportedly had the date Sept. 21, 2009.I find it very interesting that the writers would use the name Minkowski.Another link that you may find interesting is, http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20039837_2,000.html I welcome any comments or feedback about this.
You go, Freda! I mean, PaintGirl!
Make that September 21, 1908, and if anyone has a fix on that bag claim ticket, I sure would like to know. I have googled myself silly!!! :)
Good stuff katesawjack!
Bill is probablly an NJ or a Steve (if not the same).
File under “T” for troll.
thanks Prof! :)
Hiya, PG: Great theory, and awesome research! I have read about Tesla. The writers of “Lost” have stated that the show, consists of a combination of scientific, pseudo-scientific and paranormal aspects, so your views and theory do hit the mark!
billinsandiego: You don’t have to buy what anyone is selling here, but that doesn’t give you permission, to leave your two cents on the counter, before exiting the door! Now, don’t let it hit you too hard on your way out!
Have a nice day!
hey PG…..
is this you on this post.?…
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/820309/flash_forwardfredimpersonationpart1/
if so, WOW! you have amazing eyes! totally amazing! you could hypnotise me instantly with them!
Seeing as how LOST has an ‘eyes’ theme I think the producers missed out on casting you, to their shame!
Talking of casting, Solar looks deep into PG’s spellbinding eyes…..
“I am under your spell my mistress……what is your pleasure…… !!!!”
;-)
:-D
PG: Loved the video! Very sweet!
Solar!!… Solar!!… Solar!!
WHAT in the WORLD?! LOL!!! :-D
I mean, Wow…You really have a….um, “way with words”, there, don’t you? It’s just that, well, I’m not really the “Spellbinding, Mesmorizing, Mistressy”- Type. ;-) But I’m glad you liked the video!!!
Oh! and thanks for your comments on my theory! I really appreciate it! You made some good points, my friend!! :-)
Namaste!
Namaste PG,
I only just saw your thread on ProfO’s latest Fred & I love it that you left the out-takes in your video!
Last time it was your eyes (and belieeeeeeeeeeeeve me it still is!!!!!!!!!) & then today I see your lovely smile comes flashing through……oh my! what eyes you have……..”all the better to hypnotise you with”………oh my what lovely teeth you have…….”all the better to nibble you with”……..
solar waits in anticipation for the next video to complete his red-riding-hood-lost-theories-fantasy scenario!!!
;-)
Hi PG, I have only just seen your thread on the theory I posted & I wanted to reply to you & didn’t want u thinking I had ignored your thread, so here I am being in London puts me at a slight disadvantage time-zone-wise & like me, you may not check your own threads for days or so, funny enuff I saw your latest jennifred & left you another thread on yr tesla post (above), your out-takes made me smile.
So yes I am up on the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio, & I think they hold deep significance for life, & it would be great if you could tie it into lost! I’ll be waiting!…….;-)
It was great that Fibonacci sequence was dramatised in the Da-Vinci code too!
thankyou 4 yr kind comments on my theory, it was my only real attempt at one & now I’m not so sure about it! LOL :-)
Think this theory is great and at Comic Con they said that smokie was a security system so it makes sense that it’s taking pictures.
Sorry, paintgirl, this is pseudo-science, pure and simple.
I’m sure that to the late nineteenth century mind, the concept of ideas making imprints on retinas made perfect sense. Here in the 21st century that stuff has no place in scientific discourse
If it was possible to see a person’s ideas by examination or photography of their retinas, wouldn’t interrogating prisoners and terrorists be much simpler? Who could ever lie again? When I’m having my eyes examined and I find myself thinking about Kate, wouldn’t my doctor laugh a little? Wouldn’t we examine the eyeballs of murder victims to see who killed them? Wouldn’t somebody who studies eyes have noticed this and stunned the world by now?
Tesla is a marginal historical figure, who, for some reason, has become trendy. Pseudo intellectuals trot him out to show their intellectual bona fides, but it sort of backfires among the cognoscenti (e.g. billinsandiego, id.).
The reasoning behind your theory seems to go that “Since X was right about n, he must therefore be right about other things he opines upon.” This is the logical fallacy called, “appeal to authority.” Consider an extreme example of this fallacy; Charles Lindberg thought Hitler was a great man, and that Nazism was the right idea. I think we can agree that Lindberg was wrong. And don’t even get me started on the Pope. ;-)
More on this logical fallacy here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appealtoauthority
I hope you don’t think I’m picking on you. I’m not. Yours is but the latest in a powerful trend here in Lost-Theories.com. It goes like this:
I was {watching/reading} about {Egyptian brick-making techniques/textile manufacturers/chlorophyll/The Chicago Cubs/Marilyn Monroe/carbon-based nanotubes}
I realized that on Lost I saw {mud/cloth/trees/The Boston Red Sox/peroxide/black smoke]
These two ideas must be related!
This is part of the “recency effect.” Find info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primacy_effect
All that being said, I am still going to plus one you. Why? Because you seem like a bright, and eager person, and, more importantly, because the island demands it.
Tesla was also a crappy one hit wonder band just live driveshaft!
The bit about Tesla’s theory about being able to record an image projected in your mind, it fits in nicely when Locke is teaching Walt to throw knives.
Locke says ”Do you know what your mind’s eye is?”
Walt: ”When you picture something in your head?”
Locke tells him yes and tells Walt to imagine it happening, which of course he is able to do due to obviously having some sort of psycho-kinetic powers.
During th Philadelphia experiment something happened, and I quote wikipedia: “other members, like Jacob D. Murray, were physically unaccounted for — supposedly “vanished” “… JACOB Murray… probably has nothing to do with OUR Jacob, but still it’s fun…
Great posts. Yes, LOST is based on Tesla’s work. The key for me is just how much? Tesla was a genius but the writer’s of LOST are notorious for putting in ‘false idols’ when it comes to philosophers and clues surrounding the true story of LOST. With this said, I do believe Tesla’s work will be the central explanation as to why there is conflict for those characters in LOST.
Nice work, PaintGirl!
Nikola is cool! Its seem like taking pothographs (the monster seeing a eye) The story about Tesla travel into time for a moment is like Daniel’s Faraday experiment, Dan is the Tesla off the island!
In the episode “The 23rd Psalm” the sentry confronts Mr. Eko. As the camera angle takes us into and though the sentry, we see what appears to be images from Mr. Eko’s past. The sentry could be a “Thought Camera”.
why does smokey kill then? Do you think ben wanted ecko and the pilot dead?
very interesting. also, if you want to make a stretch, if you use a cipher where A=0, B=1, C=2 etc…the numbers of nikola tesla add up to 108, a seemingly important number in lost. but that would be a stretch.
+1 to you
this is absolutely amazing this is the only way that ben we be able to know the things he knows about these people nice ur really on to something how do you get someones deepest darkest secrets? smoke monster
OMG I agree with you 1 million percent on the whole Philadelphia Experiment, I’ve been calling that since season 1. Another thing you should look into is the Mawtawk Projectt, which was the successor to the Philadelphia Project and was invovled in the enhancement of psychic abilities.