A New York Times article published on July 5th, took a look at a new breed of incandescent light bulbs, developed in response to an energy law passed two years ago that required such bulbs be much more energy efficient.
The article, Incandescent Bulbs Return to the Cutting Edge, is worth a look for some of the technology that will be replacing light bulbs on the shelves of our stores sometime within the next few years.
It also had me thinking about Edison’s invention.
Here’s the start to one of his patents involving light bulbs:
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, Thomas A. Edison, a citizen of the United States, residing at Llewellyn Park, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flourescent Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.
The object I have in view is to produce light by fluorescence. I have found that tungstate of calcuim or strontium, when acted upon by molecular bombardment, or, if placed outside of the vaccuum tube, when acted upon by X rays, will give a useful amount of light in tubes of moderate size and with a small expenditure of energy. I have found that most of the chemical substances which fluoresce when subjected to the action of the X ray of Rontgen, outsider of a vacuum tube, are highly responsive to the molecular bombardment when placed within a vacuum tube may be utilized for the giving of light….
Fluorescent Electric Lamp – Thomas A. Edison, Patent number: 865367, Issue date: Sep 1907
The American Memories series from the Library of Congress has a nice set of pages on The Life of Thomas A. Edison.
It’s encouraging to see advances made in a technology that many of us take for granted. The New York Times article starts off by telling us that:
The law set tough efficiency standards, due to take effect in 2012, that no traditional incandescent bulb on the market could meet, and a century-old technology that helped create the modern world seemed to be doomed.
It’s good to see such prognostications proved wrong. It would be great to see similar advances in other technologies that many of us take for granted.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.