Who invented the light bulb?

What could be easier than a light bulb? A glass bulb, a filament, an electrical current – those are the only components needed. LED, halogen, incandescent – there are so many options to choose from now, allowing you to find the perfect fit for any interior and personal taste. But who should be credited with inventing the very first light bulb? Edison or Yablochkin? And why is Lodygin recognized as the "father" of the modern lamp? Let’s explore the answers to these questions.

The invention of the incandescent lamp in Europe

The chemist Ganfrey Davy, in 1800, made the discovery of the principle in question. It was Davy who connected two wires with carbon sticks to a battery and observed the creation of a glowing arc.

The first "arc lamp" in history was enclosed by a glass dome, making it unique. It quickly became the lamp of choice for many, thanks to its affordability compared to oil and gas lamps, its effectiveness in large factory halls, and its suitability for use in homes. However, it had its drawbacks, including the frequent need to change graphite rods, the emission of ultraviolet light, loud crackling noises, and flickering light.

Researchers recognized the need to optimize and improve on Davy’s luminaire. Four decades after its initial discovery, chemists experimented with placing the filament in a vacuum tube and testing different materials for the rod, resulting in the issuance of new patents.

This work was carried out both in Europe and Russia, with each region developing its own unique types of lamps. Let’s explore some of the most popular ones.

Swann’s lamp

An invention from 1850 featured a unique design: a carbonized paper filament within a glass vacuum bulb. The inventor went on to receive a patent within a decade for a partially incandescent lamp with a carbon filament.

The primary drawback of the invention was its rapid burnout caused by imperfect vacuumization and power source issues.

The Briton did not settle for one version. He continuously made enhancements to the design and in 1878, in Newcastle, he showcased a new kind of device: instead of carbonized paper, it used carbon thread made from cotton. The device could operate for thirteen and a half hours without any interruptions.

Edison’s lamp

Indeed, the invention did not occur spontaneously or independently. The scientist diligently monitored all the happenings in the scientific community regarding this subject and commenced the development process subsequent to the granting of a patent to Swann.

Thomas Edison, recognizing a crucial flaw in the British design, specifically the excessive thickness of the carbon filament, believed that it ought to be significantly thinner. To address this issue, he acquired the patents of Woodward and Evans (who proposed their own version of the incandescent lamp in 1875) and implemented a more refined filament into Swann’s original model.

An electric bulb lamp was created as a result, which was both practical and capable of burning for up to 40 hours, providing a stable light without any noise effects. Edison went on to create prototypes that gave his invention an advantage, and as a result, he sued Swann for patent infringement.

We won’t go into too much detail about what happened next. Edison continued to work on further improving the invention. His team of specialists conducted tests on over 600 plants to determine which "raw material" would produce the best thread. Bamboo emerged as the winner, and bamboo carbon threads were subsequently used in production (although tungsten threads are now used).

By the way, Edison eventually reconciled with Swann. The British court deemed Swann’s patent to be a priority, and the inventors even started a "small startup" to produce lamps together.

Afterward, Edison devised the typical bulb cartridges, enabling not only engineers but also regular individuals to maintain the equipment. Simply unscrewing a burned-out bulb and swapping it with a fresh one was sufficient.

Fundamentally, this accounts for why Edison is acclaimed as the "pioneer" of the contemporary light bulb, and his innovation steadily gained widespread adoption.

Invention of the light bulb in Russia

Indeed, during that era, Russia was not leading in the field of scientific research and innovations. However, simultaneous to their Western counterparts, our country also engaged in research and development. A number of noteworthy inventions emerged from our homeland (in fact, the predecessor to the contemporary lamp was not invented by Edison, but rather by our fellow countryman – Lodygin). So, what were the contributions made by our compatriots to this matter? Let us now delve into that.

Yablochkov’s light bulb

Pavel Nikolaevich Yablochkov, a Russian electrical engineer and inventor, stumbled upon the creation of his candle by chance. During his experimentation with electrolysis, he unintentionally joined two carbon electrodes together, resulting in a rather brilliant discharge.

He came to the realization that the electrodes in the device don’t need to be in direct contact with each other. Accordingly, Yablochkov constructed a type of candle where the two carbon components were insulated from each other. He used white clay (also known as kaolin) as a "layer."

The principle behind this is the creation of an arc through gas. The design (like all ingenious things) was quite straightforward, cost-effective, and had a long-lasting effect, which caused a real sensation at the London exhibition.

For a considerable period of time following that, it was Yablochkov’s candles that brought illumination to the streets, museums, and palaces of European cities.

Lodygin’s light bulb

The patent for it was granted one year before Yablochkov’s candle (in 1874). Its appearance resembled that of a glass sphere containing two copper rods on the inside. These rods were linked together by a slender retort coal thread, measuring approximately 2 mm.

An electric current was applied to the rods, which passed through the carbon filament and caused it to heat up. This resulted in a uniform and steady light being emitted. However, these types of lamps had a short lifespan, typically only lasting for approximately four hours. Over time, the design of the lamps was continually improved and refined. One of the inventor’s assistants, Diedrichson, proposed the idea of removing the air from the bulb, although the method used to achieve this (a manual hand pump) was not perfect. Nevertheless, this modification significantly increased the lifespan of the lamps.

A noteworthy contribution made by Lodygin was his experimentation with using metal filaments instead of coal filaments. Tungsten filaments, which he tried, are still commonly used in incandescent lamps to this day.

Regrettably, Lodygin’s invention did not achieve financial success. In recognition of his work, he was awarded the Lomonosov Prize in Russia along with a grant of 1000 rubles. However, the company he established in his home country to manufacture the lamps quickly faced financial ruin and went bankrupt.

Following the emigration of the inventor to the United States and his subsequent sale of the patent to General Electric (which was organized solely by Edison), the manufacturer reaped the benefits while the inventor did not receive adequate compensation, having sold the patent for a nominal amount.

So who invented the incandescent lamp first in the world?

Nobody knows for sure. How is it possible? The reality is that the creation of the light bulb is a collaborative endeavor. Several scientists conducted electrical experiments, made errors, persisted in trying, proposed their own versions of the invention, obtained patents, and showcased their inventions.

Many other researchers took inspiration from their colleagues’ work, or made notable modifications to the design, progressively enhancing it.

Officially, there are three individuals credited as the "founders" of contemporary lighting – Lodygin, Edison, and Yablochkov. Even though their inventions had significant schematic variations, it was these three who laid the foundation for the modern incandescent lamps that have illuminated our streets, homes, and shops.