Why are light bulb filaments made of tungsten?

Filaments in light bulbs, specifically incandescent bulbs, are made of tungsten because tungsten has a high melting point and is able to withstand heat and corrosion. Tungsten is one of the most durable types of filaments used in light bulbs. It must be exposed to very high temperatures before melting, and only carbon arc has a higher heat resistance level than tungsten.

Before the discovery of tungsten, many light bulbs were made with tantalum, which is an element with similar properties to tungsten. Tantalum, like tungsten, is a metal and has a high level of heat resistance. Tungsten, however, replaced tantalum around 1910 and is credited with producing energy-efficient, low-light bulbs.