He was a self-taught journalist whose formal education did not go beyond public schooling.[1] He is also the author of Prodigal genius; the life of Nikola Tesla (1944), which was published in 18 editions in German and English.[3] and several other non-technical books on 20th century science. In 1953 he observed a feature on the Moon, on the western shore of Mare Crisium, which he interpreted as a giant natural bridge, but it turned out to be an illusion. Now this illusion is known as O'Neill's Bridge.[4][5]