About
Thomas Alva Edison, born February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio, is one of the most prolific inventors in history. Self-taught, he started working at a young age and became a telegraph operator before dedicating himself to invention. He founded a research laboratory in Menlo Park, where he developed the phonograph and the practical incandescent electric lamp. He also developed the electrical distribution system and contributed to motion pictures. Holder of 1,093 U.S. patents, he died on October 18, 1931, in New Jersey.
Major works
- Phonograph (1877)invention
- Incandescent electric lamp (1879)invention
- Kinetograph (1891)invention
- Kinetoscope (1891)invention
Key milestones
- 1876Establishes his Menlo Park laboratory in New Jersey.
- 1882Opens the first commercial power station on Pearl Street, New York.
- 1893Builds the Black Maria, the world's first motion-picture studio, in West Orange.
Themes
Technological innovationElectrificationSound recordingCinemaEntrepreneurship
Sources: nps.gov · britannica.com