It is widely known and taught throughout schools across the world that Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb, but there is more to it than that. Over the weekend, I was reading an article about the greatest inventions of all time until I learned something really interesting. Apparently, Edison never actually invented the light bulb, and I couldn’t believe that he held public demonstrations of him electrcuting animals. In 1802, Humphry Davy invented the first electric light, and he invented an electric battery. When he connected wires to his battery and a piece of carbon, it created a light. His invention was no doubt a success, but it was so bright that they couldn’t use it commercially. Later, Davy realized that the problem was finding a cheap material that would burn brightly and last for hours. In 1879, Thomas Edison patented the light bulb, and he’s credited for solving this problem, and it was known as the carbon filament light bulb. However, Warren De La Rue solved the problem 40 years prior, but the challenge he faced was that he used platinum which is a costly metal. In 1878, Joseph Swan, a British chemist, publicly showed off the first light that was made with carbon that could be used commercially. These are just three of many other inventors who contributed in some way to the light bulb we all use today. Without a doubt, Thomas Edison deserves credit for his accomplishment because even though he may have not created the ideas needed to construct the light bulb, he improved them and made it what it is today. That is what the study of engineering is all about; taking something and making it better.
Do you guys know any other examples of people who actually weren’t responsible for inventing something revolutionary?
https://www.livescience.com/43424-who-invented-the-light-bulb.html
Hi Jacob, I think Its crazy that other people were not given credit for inventing the light bulb. We only learn about Thomas Edison. I don't think I know any other examples, but this was definitely interesting.
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