- published: 30 Jan 2013
- views: 11965
Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. Dubbed "The Wizard of Menlo Park", he was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of mass production and large-scale teamwork to the process of invention, and because of that, he is often credited with the creation of the first industrial research laboratory.
Edison was a prolific inventor, holding 1,093 US patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. More significant than the number of Edison's patents was the widespread impact of his inventions: electric light and power utilities, sound recording, and motion pictures all established major new industries world-wide. Edison's inventions contributed to mass communication and, in particular, telecommunications. These included a stock ticker, a mechanical vote recorder, a battery for an electric car, electrical power, recorded music and motion pictures.
Imagine you could ride a thought
Like a train, at a station that you just caught
Now imagine that the head you're in
Belongs to Thomas Albert Edison
He's thinking about a light
And not just a light that will burn for an hour
But a light that can last for months and months
And illuminate our home with just a trickle of power
And now he's not thinking only of one
He's thinking of millions, nobillions for everyone
So no matter where on Earth you go
London, Rio, Tokyo,
You can lean back in your easy chair
Flick a switch, and the light bulb's there
And now this train has jumped the tracks
He's thinking of a way to have sound play back
With a spool and a wire and an aluminum foil
He's wrapping the sound like a string around the coil
And now what was that? A bird that sings
The sounds are flying off this thing
A dog, a cat, a baby's laugh,
Captured and played by his phonograph
In fact, the reason that you're hearing me here
Is because Edison had an incredible idea
Now off he goes with another invention
His mind is so full of dreams and intentions
Sounds and pictures, thoughts and hopes
Light bulbs, phonographs, scopes
Well now it's time to apply the brakes
A thousand patterns it's too much to take
But when you get an idea, let's make a deal