Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison, born around February 11, 1847, was an American inventor and businessman whose prolific work led to over a thousand patented inventions. His early life was marked by health challenges, including scarlet fever, which contributed to progressive hearing loss, rendering him profoundly deaf in one ear by age 12 and gradually in the other later in life. Despite limited formal schooling, attending for only three months, Edison was a voracious, lifelong reader, driven by an intense curiosity. His inventive career began with an electric voice recorder in 1868, followed by groundbreaking creations such as the phonograph in 1877, the practical incandescent electric lamp in 1879, and innovations in motion picture technology, including a movie projector in 1891 and talking motion pictures by 1913.Edison's personal life reflected his intense focus on work; he was known for sleeping little and working incessantly. After the death of his first wife, he raised three children, though he was reportedly a distracted and impatient father, particularly with them compared to the three children from his second marriage. He maintained a somewhat unkempt appearance, often chewing tobacco and dressing carelessly. Thomas Edison died on October 18, 1931, in West Orange, New Jersey, at the age of 84, due to uremic poisoning. His contributions fundamentally shaped the technological landscape of the 20th century.