StoryZone

When we were still in school, we were taught that Thomas Alva Edison was the inventor of the light bulb.
But did you know that the first inventor of the light bulb wasn't Thomas Edison? Before Thomas Alva Edison, there were actually three scientists who created incandescent lamps.
In 1802, Humphrey Davy invented the arc lamp, but it had some issues, as it burned out quickly and was too bright for practical use. Nevertheless, this lighting proved to be useful for miners and street lighting in various European countries.
In 1808, a British scientist named Warren de la Rue created an incandescent lamp using a platinum coil.
The use of a coiled platinum filament was considered more efficient than copper.
However, due to the high cost of platinum, his light bulb invention failed to be commercially viable.
In 1850, British chemist Joseph Swan developed a light bulb using a carbonized paper filament as a substitute for platinum.
Swan also received a patent for his invention in 1878.
This solution addressed the high cost issue associated with platinum, but it had a drawback as the light bulbs would blacken over time.
Edison realized that there was a design problem with Swan's lamp, particularly with its filament.
A thin filament with high electrical resistance would make the lamp more practical, as it would require less current to operate.
Swan incorporated Edison's improvement into his light bulb design and established an electric lighting company in England.
Edison later sued Swan for patent infringement, but it was Swan who won the lawsuit.
In the end, the two of them joined forces and founded Edison-Swan United, which became one of the world's largest light bulb manufacturers.

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