For all the many “who invented it” questions I get, I tell people, instead of looking for those “eureka moments” when something was invented, why not study the complete history of an idea, and learn about the great evolution of ideas that was involved in creating the invention.
Many inventors patent ideas, in some cases they even creat a prototype. But the people who often get credit for an innvention are those who turn the visions into reality. People who get credit for an innvention are those who go beyond the good ideas and good intentions, and create something the can be used by the average person.
In regards to Thomas Edison and the invention of the lightbulb, there were more than twenty inventors that filed patents for various versions of the incandescent lamp before Edison.
So why is Thomas Edison still believed to be the inventor of the light bulb?
While other inventors had created various lightbulbs before Edison, his bulb was a major improvement over the previous inventions. Edison took the ideas and theories of those who came before him and created the practical lightbulb that lasted long enough to be used by the average person. The patent that made Edison famous was U.S. Patent 223,898 filed on November 4, 1879 and granted on January 27, 1880.
I hate it when someone knocks Edison with comments saying he was more of a businessman that an inventor. The other area that made Edison a very successful inventor is his visionary view of how his inventions would be used by the world.
Look at Edison's other inventions like the phonograph, where Edison began recording and producing records. Look at motion pictures, where Edison went beyond creating the hardware, but when into the business of producing movies.
Edison not only perfected the lightbulb, he was looking at the big picture as far as delivering electricity to our home. Edison's success went beyond the incandescent light bulb to developing an entire integrated system of electric lighting. Edison lost the battle of AC versus DC known as the War of Currents, but when look at the big picture you could say that launched the modern electric utility industry with the creation of the Pearl Street station in lower Manhattan in 1882.
https://geekhistory.xyz/content/thomas-edison-launched-modern-electric-utility-industry
Thomas Edison had 424 patents concerning electric light and power.
http://edison.rutgers.edu/lamp.htm
http://edison.rutgers.edu/biogrphy.htm
http://edison.rutgers.edu/elecpats.htm
The Guru 42 Universe is not run by a university professor with a team of editors and advisers working to developing a website. Tom Peracchio is simply someone who loves technology and history and is amazed by how little people know about the great minds in the world of technology.
Support Guru 42 efforts by your small donation at Buy me a coffee