Edison and the Light Bulb | 爱迪生——世界因他而发光

by Timothy Laird

Thomas Edison changed the world with his improvements in light bulb technology.

爱迪生改良灯泡制作技术，而世界也因为他的贡献亮了起来。

Before Thomas Edison made electricity available for a small number of customers in lower Manhattan, the world looked quite different. At the time, candles and oil or gas lamps were used to provide lighting. Since those items were costly and didn't last very long, most families went to bed when night fell. The situation drastically changed when electricity was introduced into people's lives. Thomas Edison, an American scientist and inventor, became a household name because he was linked with this breakthrough.

Contrary to popular belief, Thomas Edison didn't actually invent the first light bulb. What he did was make improvements to the initial designs of earlier inventors. The light bulbs Edison and his team designed were indeed superior to previous models because they were both practical and profitable. Edison was determined to make the light bulb's incandescence last as long as possible. To find the best materials for the bulb's filament, he and his team spent several months experimenting with metal, cotton, linen, and paper until finally settling on carbonized bamboo, which could last up to 1,200 hours.

Edison was an inventor with a practical mind. To make the most of his light bulbs, he started building power stations that provided electricity for homes and workplaces. Besides the light bulb, Edison's inventiveness is perhaps best shown by the electrical distribution system he designed, which left a profound influence on the world.

在汤玛士‧爱迪生为曼哈顿下城区少数顾客提供电力之前，世界的样貌可说是截然不同。当时，蜡烛、煤油或煤气灯是提供照明的来源。但由于这些东西价格不斐而且提供照明的时间不长，所以夜晚来临时，很多家庭即准备就寝。自从电被带入人们的生活，上述的情况彻底改变。美国科学家及发明家汤玛士．爱迪生因为和这项突破性的进展有关，成为家喻户晓的人物。

　　不同于一般人的认知，汤玛士‧爱迪生实际上并非第一位发明灯泡的人。他所做的是改良前人一开始设计的成品。但爱迪生和其团队的设计，在实用性和获利方面都远优于先前的发明。他决心要尽可能延长灯泡发光的时间。为了找到制作灯丝的最佳素材，他和团队花了数个月时间，用金属、棉花、亚麻线和纸等材料进行实验，最后才选定使用碳化的竹子细丝，因为它能让灯泡持续发光 1,200 个小时。

　　爱迪生的发明是以实用性为出发点。为了让灯泡的使用率普及，他开始架设发电厂提供住家和工作场的用电。除了灯泡以外，爱迪生所设计的电力分布网络或许更能凸显他的发明才能，因为这对后世留下了深远的影响。