Uploaded March 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

---

Here we explore the making of the first light bulbs invented by Thomas Edison and Joseph Swan. Check out my sponsor Brilliant for a great way to learn math, science, and computer science: Brilliant.org/NightHawk

I've transcribed Edison's first electric lamp patent into a single image, as the archived scans available on government websites are almost too low quality to read. You can view the image here: https://i.imgur.com/0S9VxB4.png

A few things I read in my research for this video (not all are solid historical reports, but technically useful in my reinvention):
Who invented the filament?: https://msuweb.montclair.edu/~olsenk/bit%20of%20wire.htm
Lamp Inventors 1880-1940: https://americanhistory.si.edu/lighting/bios/swan.htm
Lewis Latimer's book on the Edison System of electric lighting: bit.ly/3apNlPO
Lewis Latimer patent for improved carbon filaments: patents.google.com/patent/US252386
Video of Edison reenacting bulb invention: youtu.be/ARqyM9nvWuw
Topsy the Elephant Was a Victim of Her Captors: bit.ly/2y3y7lh
Rumors that Edison electrocuted animals come from his association with Harold Brown (who definitely did): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_currents#Harold_Brown's_crusade
An article that is definitely not written by a historian, but I think has a fair perspective: bit.ly/2wDoitW
The Oatmeal's response to the above article: theoatmeal.com/blog/tesla_response


I also would like to thank my Patreon supporters. You all are awesome! I can't express how good it is to know I have backing to make videos of any subject without worrying about if they will go viral or make money from ads. Thank you! A special thanks to my top Patrons: Enzo Breda Lee, Jon Hartmann, TheBackyardScientist & Eugene Pakhomov! patreon.com/NightHawkProjects

Thank you very much for watching!
-Ben