When we heard about the lightbulb, the first thing that came to our minds was Edison. But have you ever thought about who really invented the lightbulb? We were taught that Thomas Edison was the first inventor of the lightbulb; however, can one person really take credit for the lightbulb invention? The reality is not what we have known; in fact, many inventors worked on electric light for decades before Thomas Edison. In this article, we will explore the history of who actually invented the lightbulb (this is not a dark side of lighting history; it is the reality).
History of the Lightbulb: Early Lightbulb Inventions
Long before Thomas Edison, scientists experimented with electric light in various forms. For instance, scientists worked on arc lamps, platinum filament bulbs, and carbon filament bulbs, which can be traced back to 1802. These early inventories of lightbulbs effectively laid the foundation before the breakthrough by Edison.
Arc Lamp
The first assumed electrical light can be traced way back to 1802, which is also known as the arc lamp or the carbon arc lamp. The arc lamp was invented by Humphry Davy when an electric current passed through a gap between two carbon electrodes and leads, producing high-intensity illumination. However, arc lamps are not considered practical incandescent light bulbs in the true sense. It was a long way to go before the lightbulb until 1840, when the platinum filament bulb was created.
Arc Lamp by by Humphry Davy
Platinum Filament Bulb
The platinum filament bulb was the first incarnation of the incandescent light bulb. It was made by Warren de la Rue in 1840. The mechanism of the platinum filament bulb operates electric current through a thin platinum strip, which heats up and glows, emitting light through incandescence. It stood out as the most groundbreaking innovation of its era. However, the high cost of platinum turned into the initial challenge of the light bulb invention, since platinum strips have extremely high melting points and are easy to oxidize. Also, compared to the lightbulbs we are using today, platinum filament bulbs are neither bright nor durable enough to be viable for sustainable use. But, it was presenting the great efforts for the latter 40 years when the carbon filament bulb was invented.
Platinum Filament Bulb by Warren de la Rue
Carbon Filament Bulb
The innovation of the carbon filament bulb has a complex history. The concept of the carbon filament bulb can be traced back to 1838. The fun fact is, the concept was first founded by Marcellin Jobard instead of Thomas Edison. Jobard proposed an experiment with carbon filaments in vacuum tubes. When an electric current flows through the carbon filament, it generates heat due to electrical resistance that induces light emission. The idea of Jobard’s finds marks the earliest recorded carbon-filament design.
However, the first practical incandescent lightbulb, in the true sense, was further examined by John W. Starr in 1845 based on the theory of Jobard’s carbon filament design. And this invention by Starr represents the earliest known patent for a carbon filament bulb.
In the years following Starr, Joseph W. Swan had demonstrated a working carbon-filament lamp in 1860; Swan’s bulb is the first actual functioning carbon filament lamp, although it underwent a short lifespan as comparison to what we have today. Swan further improved his study by using carbon rods that effectively increase the lifespan of lightbulbs, though it still remains short of functional use. During the period, scientists from various countries had tested and perfected the innovation of the lightbulb, for example, built carbon rods in a nitrogen-filled glass tube, until the Edison era (1878–1880s).
Carbon Filament Bulb by Swan
Commercialization of Lightbulb
Thomas Edison is always known as the father of lightbulb. Over the years, Edison and his team had dug into the improvement of the carbon filament lamp study based on the previous theories. They tested a lamp using a carbonized cotton thread that delivers a 13-14 hours glow in 1879, and finally created the commercial use of carbon filament lamps. Edison's bulb is the first patent lightbulb for commercial use. They continue the experiment of expanding the duration of lightbulb usage by employing carbonized bamboo fiber. This renovation effectively increased the lifespan of the lightbulb by a hundred times(about 1200 hours), and made a huge contribution to human scientific inventions.
First bulb by Thomas Edison
And by the late 1800s, Edison put into commercial production of light bulbs by using more durable and higher resistance incandescent material that promotes economically efficient power distribution. Meanwhile, they continuously renovate to achieve better elimination of air from the bulb by the formation of a vacuum through the use of the Sprengel pump to maximize the lifespan of practical use. This is also the reason that the light bulb made by Thomas Edison got credit for the invention, though we now know that the vast resources from previous studies led to the success of Edison.
Edison's Bulb Go for Sale
The Death of Incandescent Light Bulbs
The electric light (also known as a tungsten filament bulb) today shares the same concept of Edison’s bulbs, but employs tungsten filaments instead of the carbon ones. However, with the advent of LED lights, which deliver higher power efficiency with lower energy use, the era of the incandescent lightbulb may herald the end. The concept of LED lights was proposed in the early 1900s, and the first viable commercial LED light came out more than half a century (in 1962).
Incandescent Light Bulbs (left) vs. LED Light Bulbs (right)
The LED light is initiated through the electroluminescence process, this process recombines electrons and holes in a semiconductor and releases energy as light. The features of LED lights, for example, long lifespan, high energy efficiency, and brighter and intense lighting, have greatly contributed to their popularity among consumers. Types of popular fixture LED lighting for home and commercial designs today include recessed LED lighting, LED lamps, LED panel lights, LED smart bulbs, LED vanity lightbulbs, poolside LED lights, etc. Consumers now have better lighting choices for home and commercial designs.
Modern Recessed Lighting from CycevSun
Conclusion
While vast amounts of experiments and inventors studied the concepts and theories of light bulbs, Edison’s bulb was the climax of the lightbulb invention process, and he is also the one who truly turned the lightbulb into a commercial product that benefited mankind. The innovation of lighting is still continuing. Today, modern recessed LED lighting and other energy-efficient LED bulbs have become the top choices for consumers, they offer superior brightness, long-lasting performance, and significant energy savings.
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