Ian Bronson
Thomas Edison is one of the most popular inventors of the 20th century. He’s rightly been praised for his many inventions, including the vacuum diode and electric pen. However, to honor him for his many contributions, people have attributed to Edison many inventions that were not his. Let’s consider 10 of these.
The Light Bulb
Thomas Edison is called the inventor of the light bulb, but this is a misconception. The innovation was the culmination of the efforts of several inventors. Humphry Davy created the first electric arc lamp in 1809, and Warren de la Rue invented an early incandescent lamp in 1840.
The Phonograph
Although Edison is named the inventor of the phonograph, Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville had earlier made efforts to record sound. Scott created the phonautograph in 1857, a device capable of visually recording sound waves but incapable of playing them back. Edison’s phonograph, patented in 1877, could both record and reproduce sound.
Motion Pictures
The Zoetrope and other devices that created the illusion of motion predated Edison by decades. Eadweard Muybridge’s sequential photographs were released in 1878, while Étienne-Jules Marey’s chronophotography was built in 1882. Thomas Edison facilitated the final development of motion pictures by building the Kinetoscope, a motion picture viewer, and patented it in 1891.
The Electric Chair
People mistakenly praise Edison for inventing the electric chair. However, this contraption was developed by Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist from Buffalo, New York, in the 1880s. Southwick sought a more humane method of execution than hanging. His design was inspired by observing how quickly death occurred in accidental electrocutions.
The Microphone
Emile Berliner, not Thomas Edison, was the rightful inventor of the microphone. In 1877, Berliner patented the first carbon-button microphone, which became essential for telephones and early sound recording systems. Edison improved upon Berliner’s version and successfully filed a patent for his version, leading to a legal dispute between the duo.
X-Rays
Edison did not invent the X-ray either, although he conducted experiments with the technology in the late 19th century. Wilhelm Röntgen discovered it in 1895, and his work laid the foundation for the medical and scientific applications of X-ray imaging. Thomas Edison is credited for developing an X-ray fluoroscope for real-time imaging.
The Radio
Edison’s role in developing the radio was minimal at best. While he produced some electrical components for the system, the credit belongs to others. Guglielmo Marconi, for one, invented the radio in the 1890s and successfully transmitted wireless signals over long distances. Nikola Tesla also made several contributions to the field of wireless communication.
The Battery
Although Edison is linked to the invention of the battery, the first practical batteries were developed by Alessandro Volta in 1800. Gaston improved on the design by inventing the lead-acid battery. Some credit goes to Thomas for creating the nickel-iron storage battery in 1901, which was durable and rechargeable but costly and inefficient.
Concrete Construction
The Concrete Revolution has been largely credited to Thomas Edison, even though his ventures in this area were unsuccessful. Concrete had been used for centuries, but significant advancements were made by engineers like Joseph Monier and François Coignet in the 19th century. Edison attempted to popularize concrete homes, but his designs were impractical.
The Stock Ticker
And the stock ticker? Its actual inventor was Edward A. Calahan. His invention allowed real-time transmission of stock prices over telegraph lines, reshaping the financial industry. The Stock Ticker is probably attributed to Edison because his improved design was more efficient and reliable, eventually becoming more popular than previous versions.
