Let’s rejoin our two intrepid friends Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison up in the cloud, and listen in to their conversation about the Wright Brothers. Then check out our contest at the end of the blog.

Albert Einstein (AE)
Good Morning Thomas. Say, you met that Orville Wright fellow didn’t you?

Thomas Edison (TE)
Sure did-back in 1913 as I remember, came out to my West Orange Labs, a couple of weeks before Christmas. Why do you ask?

December 18, 1913: Visit of Orville Wright to Edison’s West Orange Labs.
Front row l. to r. Mina Edison, daughter Madeleine, Orville Wright (light-colored suit), Thomas Edison, [unknown], John Sloane –husband of Madeleine.

AE
Lot of fanfare about a new book about the Wright brothers, just came out, that McCullough writer fellow wrote the book-good reviews I hear.

TE
Hey, isn’t that the fellow who wrote about you Albert?

AE
Yes, it is! Well, I almost forgot about that.

TE
Orville and his brother Wilber [who died young] did quite a nice job with making the airplane a practical device. Lots of controversy about whether they were first or not, but if they did not provide the proper controls for the wings, no one would be flying today. No small problem they solved in 1903, and then the interest overtook the whole world.

Orville being launched for an early flight in 1902. Brother Wilber and a friend are at each wingtip.

AE
What reminds me of you Tom, is how they kept improving and refining their flying machine. Passion is what they had for their invention, like you did for yours.

TE
If you don’t have passion, there is no need to be in the inventing business. I must say though I wondered how they made a connection between their other activities like an ongoing bicycle shop and powered flight; but then again inspiration can come from a variety of circumstances. Did I mention he was an Ohio boy like me? He came from Dayton, while I came from up north in Milan, near Lake Erie.

AE
Sounds like those Midwest strong work values. Just like Henry Ford too!

TE
That could very well be. Another thing I did not mention. When Orville was out visiting me he had quite a good time talking with my daughter Madeleine’s husband, John Sloane, who has an aeronautical business down in Newark. The airport there is becoming quite well known and used.

AE
Thomas, consider how much change has come during our lives. Once the train was the way to travel– and then Henry brings the automobile, and you the electric vehicle; and along comes Orville and folks are no longer on the road, but in the air. Such change!

TE
And 66 years later in 1969, there are footprints on the moon.

AE
Let’s take a walk. I have been doing some of those Smoogle….no Google…….computer searches, and Mr. Orville Wright lives not far from us up here in the cloud. Maybe he and his brother would like to do a little inventing with us. What do you think?

TE
Al…a splendid idea!

AE
Who knows….maybe a plane flight is in our future?

TE
Perhaps I should bring along my motion picture camera?

Einstein, Edison on Orville Wright

A Contest for our readers!

Win a gift of $100 for first place; $50 second; $25 third. Send us some words, say 150-250, as to which invention had the most impact on the world … the light bulb; the airplane; or theory of relativity. Contest closes on June 15, 2015 at 5:00 pm. Email info@thomasedison.org to enter.

Thomas Edison said, “If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves …”

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“There are no rules here. We are trying to accomplish something!”

Edison and Einstein were indefatigable workers, hot on the trails of their respective areas of expertise. Work and play for them were largely indistinguishable. Copious notes were kept by both men, always aware of the need for continuous research and self-improvement. Their lives reflected great personal discipline and focus.

In the year of Einstein’s birth 1879, Edison invents the first commercially viable electric light, and on December 31st of that year, lights up his Menlo Park Facility—the first Christmas holiday light display is born. There is another interesting play on “light” as well. Einstein goes on to revolutionize physics with his interpretations of light and its relationship to matter and energy with his famous equation stating that “energy equals mass times the speed of light squared”.

“I never perfected an invention that I did not think about in terms of the service it might give others… I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent …”

Time ® is a registered trademark of Time Inc.