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The First Incandescent Light Bulb
Thomas Edison finalized his design for the first commercial light bulb on November 4, 1879. This light bulb consisted of a carbonized bamboo filament connected to wires, all encased in glass. The bulb lasted for over 1200 hours. The light bulb functioned by using electricity to heat a carbon based filament, which would then emit a glow. http://www.bulbs.com/learning/history.aspx -
Tungsten Filaments
William David Coolidge improved GE's ability to manufacture tungsten filaments in 1910. Tungsten has the highest melting point of any chemical element, but Edison could not include it in his original model because the technology to produce super-tungsten wire was not available at the time. Tungsten filaments are still the primary material in incandescent light bulbs. http://www.livescience.com/43424-who-invented-the-light-bulb.html -
The Halogen Light Bulb
The halogen light bulb was first introduced by GE. They were an adaptation of incandescent light bulbs, but instead filled the bulb with halogen gas rather than inert gas, reducing the evaporation of the filament and darkening of the bulb. Halogen light bulbs also consumed 15% less energy and lasted for about 1500 hours. http://www.livescience.com/43424-who-invented-the-light-bulb.html http://www.historyoflighting.net/light-bulb-history/history-of-halogen-lamps/ -
Discovery of the Light Emitting Diode (LED)
LEDs are a solid state lighting that use semiconductors to convert energy into light. James Biard and Gary Pittman discovered the first LED in 1961, but it was infrared and not visible. In 1962, Nick Holonyack of GE, created the first visible LED, which was red in color. Today LEDs are among the fastest growing technologies. http://inventors.about.com/od/lstartinventions/a/Led.htm -
The Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb (CFL)
Fluorescent lighting had been used since the 1930's, but was limited to industrial use. During the US oil crisis of the 70's, people became more invested in energy efficiency, especially in regards to lighting. Edward E. Hammer created the CFL by bending a fluorescent tube into a spiral shape. The CFL was far more energy efficient than the incandescent light bulb, and was soon widely manufactured. This bulb is still used today. http://www.delmarfans.com/educate/basics/who-invented-light-bulbs/
