Who invented the incandescent light bulb?
Ask anyone that question and odds are that they will reply, “Thomas Alvin Edison, of course.” Even the relatively well educated will tell you that it was old Tom that invented the light bulb and they are all wrong. Tom perfected the incandescent light bulb. He turned an already existing invention into a practical device that could be used to illuminate our homes, businesses and streets, but he didn’t invent the first incandescent light bulb. He made it practical, so his name is the one we all remember but many had gone before him and his success was built upon their work. In this brief article I want to explore the timeline of the invention of the incandescent light bulb.
