When did Thomas Edison invent the light bulb?

Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb in 1879. This light bulb lasted 13.5 hours in the first initial testing period. In 1881, Edison proceeded to open an electric light company in Newark to begin development on a more efficient light bulb.

Scientists had been struggling to come up with a safe and inexpensive substitute for gaslight for 50 years before Thomas Edison invented the incandescent bulb. The original bulb used a platinum filament, but in 1880, Edison had a breakthrough and used carbon bamboo, which proved to be a viable alternative to the filament and resulted in a more affordable and efficient light bulb.