No, Nikola Tesla did not invent the plasma ball. While Tesla experimented with high-voltage electricity and plasma phenomena, the plasma ball as we know it today was not invented until much later.

Here's why:

* Plasma balls were invented in the 1900s: The first recognizable plasma ball, also known as a "plasma globe," was created in the 1900s by a German physicist named Heinrich Geissler. His invention, the Geissler tube, used a vacuum filled with gas and high voltage to create glowing, colorful plasma.

* Tesla's work focused on other applications: While Tesla experimented with high-voltage electricity and created impressive displays of electrical discharge, he primarily focused on developing systems for wireless communication and power transmission.

* Plasma balls rely on different principles: Modern plasma balls rely on principles of radio frequency excitation and gas ionization, which Tesla didn't explore in the same way.

It's true that Tesla's work inspired later inventions related to plasma and high-voltage electricity, but the plasma ball as a novelty item has a distinct origin story.