Philosophy
"The World's Oldest Light Bulb Has Been On for 110 Years"
by
Erica Ho
June 16th, 2011
Time
How many people does it take to change this light bulb? None.
On June 18, the oldest-known working light bulb in the world will celebrate the 110th year it has burned bright. The bulb, which hangs idly about in a fire station in Livermore, California, holds the Guinness World Record.
However, it's not clear how this particular bulb has been glowing since it was installed in 1901. Lynn Owens, who is in charge of the light bulb centennial committee, says, "Nobody knows how it's possible. It is a 60-watt bulb and it's only turned on for about four watts, but nobody knows why it keeps burning… We've had scientists from all over the country look at this light bulb.”
Not that the bulb's shiny record is perfect. It has endured some initial glitches in 1901, a fraught week in 1937 and some random power outages all the way up to 1970s. Originally donated to the fire station, the bulb was actually designed by Adolphe Chaillet, who – get this – originally competed with Thomas Edison to make the best light bulb in town.
Now I'm not sure if Edison would be proud or rolling in his grave, but one thing's for sure: let's hope no one hits the power switch on the way out of the door on this bulb.
Longest-lasting light bulbs [Wikipedia]
This reminds me of the Pitch Drop Experiment .
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- Some Come To Laugh Their Past Away: Deadhead Jokes
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Light pollution here on Earth has been annoying astronomers pretty much ever since Thomas Edison invented the light bulb... thanks, jerk! :) This is one of the reasons we sent out the Hubble telescope out to space, but you can also watch the beauties...
- Incandescent Light Bulbs Vs Cfls
Again the nanny government. What about those lamp shades that must rest on the spherical properties of an incandescent light bulb? Isn't the mercury a concern? Save energy and pollute the land? "Some consumers resist new light bulbs" by Jayne O'Donnell...
- Bubble Lights On The Tree
I guess they are gone now. The bubbling light was created in 1935 by Carl Otis, and his later patents improved the design over the years. The lights worked by heating a vial of low-boiling liquid (lightweight oil, in early versions) with a hidden incandescent...
Philosophy
The Methuselah light bulb
"The World's Oldest Light Bulb Has Been On for 110 Years"
by
Erica Ho
June 16th, 2011
Time
How many people does it take to change this light bulb? None.
On June 18, the oldest-known working light bulb in the world will celebrate the 110th year it has burned bright. The bulb, which hangs idly about in a fire station in Livermore, California, holds the Guinness World Record.
However, it's not clear how this particular bulb has been glowing since it was installed in 1901. Lynn Owens, who is in charge of the light bulb centennial committee, says, "Nobody knows how it's possible. It is a 60-watt bulb and it's only turned on for about four watts, but nobody knows why it keeps burning… We've had scientists from all over the country look at this light bulb.”
Not that the bulb's shiny record is perfect. It has endured some initial glitches in 1901, a fraught week in 1937 and some random power outages all the way up to 1970s. Originally donated to the fire station, the bulb was actually designed by Adolphe Chaillet, who – get this – originally competed with Thomas Edison to make the best light bulb in town.
Now I'm not sure if Edison would be proud or rolling in his grave, but one thing's for sure: let's hope no one hits the power switch on the way out of the door on this bulb.
Longest-lasting light bulbs [Wikipedia]
This reminds me of the Pitch Drop Experiment .
- Damn It Jim, I'm A Doctor Not A Comedian
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists Everywhere, Yesterday would have been Gene Roddenberry's 87th birthday. Trekkies have born the brunt of many a joke, so this weekend let's turn the table and open it up to your favorite Star Trek...
- Some Come To Laugh Their Past Away: Deadhead Jokes
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists Everywhere: Came across this story and just had to use it -- a combination of physics, Comedism, and the Grateful Dead. It turns out that the early universe was populated with stars that did not rely on nuclear...
- Vista - The World's Most Powerful Survey Telescope
Light pollution here on Earth has been annoying astronomers pretty much ever since Thomas Edison invented the light bulb... thanks, jerk! :) This is one of the reasons we sent out the Hubble telescope out to space, but you can also watch the beauties...
- Incandescent Light Bulbs Vs Cfls
Again the nanny government. What about those lamp shades that must rest on the spherical properties of an incandescent light bulb? Isn't the mercury a concern? Save energy and pollute the land? "Some consumers resist new light bulbs" by Jayne O'Donnell...
- Bubble Lights On The Tree
I guess they are gone now. The bubbling light was created in 1935 by Carl Otis, and his later patents improved the design over the years. The lights worked by heating a vial of low-boiling liquid (lightweight oil, in early versions) with a hidden incandescent...