The Alvin brothers are named Theodore and Simon. The names of the Three Chipmunks of record and cartoon fame were Alvin, Theodore and Simon.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) published his paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" on 26 Sep 1905. This later became known as Einstein's special theory of relativity, better known as E=mc2.
Detective Murdoch and Nikola Tesla co-invent the television, but neither pursues a patent because each is convinced that it's such an obvious invention that any scientist could make one. Their ability to develop this technology speaks to their brilliance while their assessment that it's not worth patenting simultaneously indicates their naïveté.
This Episode takes place on September 5 1906