THE LIGHT BULB
We take switching on the light for granted. However, the electric light bulb was only invented about 150 years ago. Many unsung heroes, men and women from all walks of life, are part of this innovation story.
Early experiments in domestic and laboratory settings very quickly translated into ambitious schemes to light streets, factories, offices, homes and entire cities with this magical new technology. The millions upon millions of light bulbs produced and fitted, like this Edison example, required a massive amount of electricity to be generated.
The international demand for electric lighting drove the development of power stations, the vast majority of which were coal-fired in the first half of the C20th, increasing the demand for coal. Thomas Edison built the first electricity generating power station in Pearl Street, New York, in 1882.
This story is part of the new EarthMuseum Air We Breathe Learning Programme being launched in early 2026. Register above to receive further information in Autumn 2025.