Historical Figure
Thomas Edison
1847–1931
American inventor and businessman (1847–1931)
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"First Phonograph Recording" — 1927
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Key Dates
Birth
1847 February 11, 1847 →Biography
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and early versions of the electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world. He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He established the first industrial research laboratory.
Timeline
Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph, a machine that can record and play sound.
November 21 →Using a filament of carbonized thread, Thomas Edison tests the first practical electric incandescent light bulb (it lasted 13½ hours before burning out).
October 21 →Thomas Edison demonstrates incandescent lighting to the public for the first time, in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
December 31 →Thomas Edison's first commercial hydroelectric power plant (later known as Appleton Edison Light Company) begins operation on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States.
September 30 →An audio recording of English composer Arthur Sullivan's "The Lost Chord", one of the first recordings of music ever made, is played during a press conference introducing Thomas Edison's phonograph in London, England.
August 14 →More from the Industrial Revolution
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