Thomas A. Edison
What do light bulbs, phonographs, talking dolls, moving pictures, vote recorders, electric stock printers, telegraph systems, typewriters, electric railways, and alkaline storage batteries have in common? The answer is Thomas A. Edison. Edison either invented or improved on earlier inventions of all of these things.
Think about that. One man is responsible for all of these ideas, plus many others. Did you know that Edison is the only inventor to earn U.S. patents every year for 65 straight years? The last of his 1,093 patents was granted in 1933, two years after his death on October 18, 1931.
Edison’s successes light up the pages of history. His inventions and ideas have changed the way Americans, and the world, talk, entertain, travel, treat the sick, and fight enemies. Curious and tireless, Edison explored and experimented with everything from toys to torpedoes.
Of course, with a production record like that, Edison could not possibly have success every time. He had his share of flops. For example, his idea for cement pianos did not go over too well. His giant magnet designed to pull iron ore from rocks lost money. But he recognized that failure was part of the invention process. He once said, “Spilled milk don’t interest me. I have spilled lots of it, and while I have always felt it for a few days, it is quickly forgotten.”
Edison even came up with the idea of an invention factory. Claiming that “an experimenter never knows five minutes ahead what he does want,” Edison built and stocked his laboratory with everything imaginable, from all kinds of chemicals and metals to more exotic items, such as walrus hides and peacock tails.
“There’s a better way to do it. Find it.” Perhaps this quote best sums up his work. Edison expected his employees to work hard, but nobody worked harder than him. He was always tinkering with a new idea or improving an old concept. So, he of all people might be fascinated to see how his inventions have evolved and how they have left an impression on the world. From the way our dark nights are lit up to how movies entertain us and personal music devices add bounce to our steps, we thank you, our “Wizard of Menlo Park.”