Thomas Edison - biography.

Thomas Edison - biography. American inventor Birth February 11, 1847 Death October 18, 1931 Place of Birth Milan, Ohio Known for Inventing numerous useful devices, including a practical electric light bulb and the phonograph Milestones 1869 Received his first patent, for a vote-recording machine 1876 Set up a research laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey 1877 Invented the phonograph 1879 Invented the first practical incandescent electric light bulb 1882 Provided electricity, generated by a central power station, to New York City 1883 Discovered that incandescent materials emit electrons. This phenomenon is known as the Edison effect or thermionic emission. 1887 Moved his research laboratory to larger quarters in West Orange, New Jersey 1891 Finished the kinetoscope, a device designed by Edison and his employee, William Dickson, to produce brief motion pictures 1910 Invented the Edison battery, which used an alkaline electrolyte 1913 Produced the first talking motion pictures Did You As a young man Edison saved a stationmaster's son from being hit by a train, and out of gratitude the stationmaster taught him how to Know use the telegraph. Edison patented over 1,000 inventions. Edison worked for the Navy during World War I, improving submarines and flamethrowers. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.