Thomas A. Edison

Thomas Alva Edison February 11 1847 October 18 1931 was an American inventor and businessman who has been described as Americas greatest inventor He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation mass communication sound recording and motion pictures These inventions which include the phonograph the motion picture camera and the longlasting practical electric light bulb have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention working with many researchers and employees He established the first industrial research laboratory Edison was raised in the American Midwest early in his career he worked as a telegraph operator which inspired some of his earliest inventions In 1876 he established his first laboratory facility in Menlo Park New Jersey where many of his early inventions were developed He later established a botanic laboratory in Fort Myers Florida in collaboration with businessmen Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone and a laboratory in West Orange New Jersey that featured the worlds first film studio the Black Maria He was a prolific inventor holding 1093 US patents in his name as well as patents in other countries Edison married twice and fathered six children He died in 1931 of the complications of diabetes