Is it possible to take down a building using specific frequency waves?

Question

I seen on the History channel a thing about Nikola Tesla and it said that one of his inventions caused a building to shake. The explanation of why this was possible is because matter can be forced to vibrate if it is exposed to its specific frequency wave. It also showed this happening with a wine glass. They put a speaker emitting the specific frequency that vibrated glass next to the wine glass and it started to shake and when they turned it all the way up it shook even more then shattered. The device that shook the building for Tesla was also only the size of an alarm clock. Is this concept true?

Answer 1

Yes. Every object or body has its natural frequency. If any external frequency equal to tis natural frequency is used it will vibrate more violently…which is the phenomenon know as resonance

Answer 2

I see no reason why a building cannot have an overall vibrational frequency. If the frequency from a building could be stimulated, it could resonate accordingly and subsequently shake apart. I heard that John Hutchison used a non-harmonic frequency to stimulate a harmonic reaction in many objects. . Hence, your use of the word, "forced" is appropriate. By doing this, he created a multitude of effects, including levitation.

Answer 3

Yes.  Keep in mind that an alarm clock "back then" was larger than the credit card sized ones of today.  If you seen, ooops, pardon me...saw, this on the History Channel, you may want to read any one of several books about Tesla.  He "invented" alternating current...the type of electricity that brings power to the socket into which your computer (refrigerator, stereo, etc.) is plugged.  He calculated the resonant frequency of his building and attached an oscillator to one of the vertical(?) support beams of that building.  He turned on the oscillator and the building eventually started vibrating.  If I remember correctly, the ground AROUND his building also vibrated.  In effect, he created a micro-earthquake.  The police came by and yelled at hm

(figuratively) and at first he didn't believe them.  He was at the "epicenter" and didn't as much as people well away from it.

Read a book or two on this genius...he invented a lot of neat stuff.