In 1878 Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) had invented a small lamp that only burned for a few minutes. Time was running out as several inventors in North America and Europe were working on similar projects.
Edison knew that English chemist Joseph Swan was working on a similar light bulb and that two Canadians, Henry Woodward and Mathew Evans, had patented an inefficient design as early as 1874, according to an article in Smithsonian Magazine.
Furthermore, Edison had assured the New York Sun that he already owned the invention. “Lighting with gasified hydrogen gas, the inefficient, expensive and often dangerous gas lamps common on American streets and homes, would be eliminated,” he had promised. Instead, Electricity would be the focus.
The so-called Wizard of Menlo Park, for his laboratory in New Jersey, He was America’s greatest inventor. But also one of the best promoters of his own projects.
Edison was born in Milan, Ohio and faced the challenge of school challenges and hearing problems since childhood, but his curiosity and tenacity made him a renowned inventor. Even at a young age He showed interest in mechanics and scientific experiments.
After graduating from school, he worked as a newspaper salesman and then as a telegraphista profession that enabled him to enter the world of electrical communications and the development of innovative devices. His training was predominantly self-taught.and he invested much of his income in purchasing books and materials for experimentation.
In In 1877 he patented the phonographwhich enabled the recording and reproduction of sounds for the first time in history and revolutionized music, education and media. In this case, “he promised journalists with great fanfare that he would produce something at least as good as the phonograph every year,” according to Smithsonian Magazine.
This invention should be the one Incandescent bulb which initially failed in its purpose of providing reliable lighting. “Rumors of the impending revelation had already triggered a financial crisis in London, and gas supplies were plummeting in the face of Edison’s recent success,” the magazine said.
Then “one of the inventor’s partners, George Gouraud, urged him to set up a British-based electrical company as soon as possible to take full advantage of the universal free publicity that the Sun, the New York Herald and other newspapers had offered him.”
The big moment was to come in 1882, when Edison inaugurated the first commercial power plant in New York what it allowed Public power supply and generation of a modern power grid concept.
Then in the 1stIn 891, Edison introduced the kinetograph and kinetoscope fundamental background in the development of cinematographic camera and projection systems, which gave rise to the film industry.
The inventor had founded the first industrial research laboratory in Menlo Par and several companies, including the Edison Electric Light Company, which merged in 1892 General Electric, one of the industry giants in the world.
Aside from that, He played the main role in the so-called Battle of the Currents, compete against George Westinghouse and Nikola TeslaSupporter of alternating current (AC) while promoting direct current (DC). This battle determined the future of the global electrical system.
He died in West Orange, New Jersey, and his death was honored with power outages in several cities.
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