Havemeyer Hall at Columbia University, New York. Nikola Tesla gives a lecture-demonstration on electricity. Thomas Alva Edison, who had employed Tesla at the Edison Machine Works for six months (Tesla later founded the Tesla Electric Light Manufacturing Company), also attends. Edison arrives a little late, while Tesla is already giving his presentation. Tesla pauses, looking up at the inventor, grabs Edison’s hand, and shakes it while guiding him to a seat. There are standing ovations for both. Their relationship, after the end of their professional collaboration, has been distant but cordial. Another interested observer of the conference is Guglielmo Marconi. At 27, Marconi is only slightly older than the students in the room.
