Here are some facts about Thomas Edison, the famous inventor and entrepreneur.
- Thomas Edison was born on 11th February 1847 in Milan, Ohio (United States).
- He is one of the most prolific inventors in history. He held 1093 patents in the US. He was continuously inventing, and he created and developed many devices, such as: a mechanical vote recorder, the motion picture camera, the phonograph, the stock ticker, recorded music and a battery for an electric car.
- Before he became a successful inventor, Edison worked as a telegraph operator.
- Edison set up a research lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey. He was known as the Wizard of Menlo Park.
- Most people believe that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. However, this is not strictly true. Sir Humphry Davy invented a light bulb (with a lifespan of only 12 hours). Many individuals attempted to improve upon Davy’s work and come up with a longer lasting bulb. Sir Joseph Swan made lots of progress, but Thomas Edison was the first person to get a US patent for a long lasting light bulb using a carbon filament.
- In order to come up with the right type of filament for his long-lasting bulb, Edison experimented with hundreds of different options.
- Edison formed the Edison Electric Light Company and then the Edison Illuminating Company to implement the system he had come up with for distributing electric power, allowing people could use electric lamps in their own homes. He set up the first generating station at Pearl Street, New York.
- Edison was friends with Henry Ford and Nikola Tesla was one of his employees for two years.
- Thomas Edison died on 18th October 1931. He is buried near to his home in West Orange, New Jersey.
