Life and achievements
Early life
Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio, in the United States of America, to a middle-class family as one of seven children. His family decided to relocate to Port Huron, Michigan, in 1854, where Edison mostly grew up. Samuel Edison Jr., his father, was a Canadian political exile, while his mother, Nancy Elliott Edison, was a school teacher. Contrary to the excellent education he received, Edison's formal education lasted only several months. He was a self-made man, thanks to his mother's encouragement and his tendency to read.
Hearing impairment began to manifest itself in Edison at a tender age, and he blamed it on scarlet fever and chronic ear infections. This hearing loss would be with him for the rest of his life, but he often saw it as an asset; he would not be distracted from his work. From a very tender age, Edison had shown much interest in mechanical and chemical experiments; he even built a laboratory at home. He was an entrepreneur from an early age and used to sell newspapers, candies, and vegetables on the trains to finance his experiments.
While still a teenager, Edison once pulled a three-year-old out of the path of a train; in return, the boy's father instructed Edison in telegraphy. This skill saw Edison get his first telegraph operator job, shaping his interest in electrical technology. He worked in several companies across the Midwest and the South, receiving on-the-job training and improving his skills. Edison left home at 22 and went to Boston, where he got his first patent for an electric vote recorder.
In 1876, Edison set up his first laboratory in New Jersey at Menlo Park with the money he got from selling the quadruplex telegraph. This laboratory was the scene of many of his early inventions: the phonograph in 1877 and the incandescent light bulb 1879. Menlo Park was the first industrial research laboratory; here, Edison used systematic cooperation and division of work in invention, which became a new model in the field.
Legacy
People have benefited from Thomas Edison's inventions and innovations in the present society and will continue to do so in the future, even after his death. His contributions to electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures made him one of the pioneers of some of the most important inventions of modern society. The phonograph, the electric light bulb, and the motion picture camera are a few inventions that have changed entertainment, communication, and even day-to-day life.
Thus, Edison's methods of invention, which implied massive collaboration and thorough research, altered scientific and technological progress. He also founded the first industrial research laboratory in Menlo Park, laying down a pattern other inventors and business entities adopted in the future. He demanded solutions grounded in science and, at the same time, could be implemented in the market, making him a great mediator between the academic and business worlds.
Edison had his fair share of failures and issues, from concrete house moulds to competition in the electric power industry. These were significant challenges he faced in his career; however, he never gave up, and his determination and creativity can be seen in his struggles. One of Edison's many characteristics is learning from failure and trying until the right solution is found.
Edison's influence went beyond inventions. He was a successful businessman who established 14 companies, including GE, which evolved into one of the world's most prominent and influential companies. He understood how to make money from his inventions, which made him successful and helped people accept his technologies.
Edison was awarded many honours and medals for his achievements, including the Congressional Gold Medal and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. He is known for innovation and invention and is considered one of the greatest inventors ever to live on earth. Edison's strong work ethic, inventiveness, and passion for making the world a better place through technology continue to motivate new generations of inventors and business people.
Milestone moments
Jan 21, 1876
Setting up of Menlo Park Laboratory
The cornerstone of Edison's career and industrial research was in January 1876 when he moved to his first large laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
This facility was the first, and invention and technological development were its sole missions, thus establishing a systematic approach.
The laboratory in Menlo Park became the cradle of many inventions: the phonograph in 1877 and the incandescent light bulb in 1879.
The laboratory employed many skilled scientists and engineers, who, with Edison's direction, developed and refined a vast array of inventions, thus maintaining a healthy and efficient atmosphere.
Nov 21, 1877
Invention of the Phonograph
The final invention of 1877 was the phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison. It was the first machine able to record and play back sound.
The phonograph recorded sound on a cylinder covered with tin foil, and these could be played back, a revolutionary idea at the time, revolutionizing the listening of music and speeches.
The phonograph became very popular and brought Edison much recognition; he became known as 'The Wizard of Menlo Park' and was considered one of the greatest inventors of his time.
This invention changed the face of the music business, paved the way for future developments in sound-reproducing technology, and impacted numerous future inventions.
Oct 22, 1879
Rise of the Incandescent Light Bulb
In October 1879, Thomas Edison, after many tries in his invention of electric lighting, invented a long-lasting incandescent light bulb.
Edison's light bulb incorporated a carbonized bamboo filament that had a life of over 1,200 hours and was, therefore, practical for everyday use compared to earlier designs.
The invention of the incandescent light bulb paved the way for the formation of the Edison Electric Light Company and the first public demonstration of electric lighting, which took place in December 1879.
This innovation not only changed how people light their homes and offices but also opened the electric power usage in homes, offices, and cities worldwide.
Sep 21, 1882
The station opens at Pearl Street
In September 1882, Thomas Edison opened Pearl Street Station in New York City as the first commercial central power plant in the United States to change electric power distribution.
The Pearl Street Station generated and supplied DC electricity to customers in the one-square-mile area, which initially had 59 customers but quickly expanded as more people demanded electricity.
This event can be considered the start of the electric utility industry and proved that the centralization of electricity production and distribution is reasonable and practical.
Pearl Street Station by Edison was the first power plant, which laid the foundation for future electric power plants and started the process of creating the modern electric power system.