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Period: 2600 BCE to
Before 19th Century
Firelight, candlelight, and lanterns were used as a source of light in the dark at this time. -
The first lightbulb.
Thomas Edison found that conducting electricity through a thin wire allowed it to glow and in turn create light. Putting this in the lightbulb-shaped glass amplified the light. -
The fluorescent tube light
Thayer George Inman created this by exciting mercury gas with an electrical current so that fluorescent bulbs were created. -
The CFL lamp
Edward E. Hammer made these spiral-shaped light bulbs compact and efficient so that you can still have your small light bulb that is more energy-efficient than the traditional light bulb. -
LED lights
Nick Holonack applied the concept that when electrons jump from one side to another, they emit light. This was put inside a light bulb and we now have a much less heated light bulb that saves electricity.
