Twain and Jefferson in Tesla's laboratory. US writer Mark Twain (left, 1835-1910) and US actor Joseph Jefferson (right, 1829-1905) in the laboratory of Nikola Tesla on 35 South Fifth Avenue, New York, USA, in 1894. Serb-US physicist and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) had emigrated to the USA in 1884. His research led to key advances in areas such as alternating current power generation and transmission. A type of transformer is named for him (the Tesla Coil), as is the SI unit of magnetic flux density. Twain became a close friend of Tesla, spending time with him in his laboratory. For a similar photograph, with the same apparatus in use, see image C034/5132. |