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By Andrew Balet – Wikimedia

Top 9 surprising Facts about Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison was an American inventor and businessman regarded the greatest inventor in America. He created so many inventions that are still in use today.

Edison was born in Milan, Ohio in 1847. He lived for 57 and had more than 1000 patents and these inventions are still being used today.  

Some of his inventions include the electric power generator, sound recording, motion the picture camera, phonograph and tools used for mass communication.

The electric light bulb has had a great impact on the modern world. He worked with several other researchers and employees at his industrial research laboratory.    

Edison has known the world over for his famous several innovations. This prolific had an interesting way of working that will surprise you.

I have put together the top 10 surprising facts about Thomas Edison below.

1. Thomas Edison’s first teacher was his mother

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Edison’s mother was a teacher. Although he was enrolled in school, he was sent back home for being hyperactive.

His mother took over and taught him how to read, write, and count. Edison was a curious child who did most of the learning on his own.

He was fascinated with technology and would spend hours doing experiments. Edison was taught by his mother until he turned 11.   

Edison grew fond of Shakespeare and hoped to be an actor. This was not to be because he was shy and had a high-pitched voice.

2. Edison almost lost his hearing

At about the time he turned 12, Edison became sick. It is believed that he suffered from scarlet fever which affected his hearing.

This was not the only theory to the cause of hearing loss. Some allege that he got boxed in the ear by a train conductor who hit him for starting a fire in the baggage car.

Edison’s version of the story is that he lost hearing after he got pulled by the ear to the train. This did not slow his curiosity.

He continued working on his experiments and doing research. Since he was completely deaf in one ear, he used this to his advantage.

It allowed him to pay full attention to his inventions since he was not easily distracted.  

3. He had always been an entrepreneur

Before taking up a job selling newspapers, Edison was selling candy, newspapers, and vegetables. He was doing this on the train connecting Port Huron to Detroit.

When not selling, he worked in his homemade laboratory in one of the baggage cars on the train. He had a printing press and started his newspaper company called Grand Trunk Herald. Edinson published the paper on the train.

The profit he got from his ventures were invested in buying equipment for his experiments. His business grew and he soon employed four assistants.

His business took a turn when an accidental fire happened in the baggage car. In due course, his entrepreneurship ventures were central to the formation of 14 companies.

One of his businesses, General Electric, is still one of the largest publicly-traded companies in the world.

4. Edison’s first job was as a Telegraph Operator

By Levin C. Handy – Wikimedia

Early in his career, Edison worked as a telegraph operator. This inspired most of his earliest inventions. The job also inspired the names of his children, Dot and Dash.

He got this job after rescuing a child from a track where he almost got hit by a boxcar. The child’s father in turn rewarded Edison with a job.

He worked as a telegraph operator in Port Huron. Edison did not quit his experiments, he worked on them after his main job.

Later on, Edison moved to other cities in the country working different telegraph jobs.

5. His teachers did not see light in his future

y in his career, Edison worked as a telegraph operator. This inspired most of his earliest inventions. The job also inspired the names of his children, Dot and Dash.

He got this job after rescuing a child from a track where he almost got hit by a boxcar. The child’s father in turn rewarded Edison with a job.

He worked as a telegraph operator in Port Huron. Edison did not quit his experiments, he worked on them after his main job.

Later on, Edison moved to other cities in the country working different telegraph jobs.  Edison was not the brightest student in the class. His teachers thought he was a slow learner and paid little attention to him.

This made his mother furious and she homeschooled him. Edison mentioned that this was one of the best things that happened to him.

His mother paid special attention to him and allowed him to explore things that fascinated him. Edison loved mechanical things. He enrolled at the Cooper Union for the advancement of Science and Art.

Edison is credited with inventing the electric light bulb which was affordable and long-lasting. Together with his employees, they created light switches and electric metres.

6. Edison quit his job to fully focus on his passion

By Abraham Archibald Anderson – Wikimedia

In 1868 Edison moved to Boston where he worked in the Western Union office. A year later, he resigned from his job and opted to work full time on his inventions.

The first item he invented was the electric vote recorder. This was not well received by politicians, he, therefore, sought to invent products that would be used by everyone.

7. He created the world’s first industrial research lab

By Andrew Balet – Wikimedia

In 1876, Edison set up his first lab in Menlo Park, California. It was the world’s first industrial research laboratory. It was well equipped and is where Edison worked tirelessly to change the world.

He sold his telegraph business for $,5,000 but Western Union bought the lab at $10,000. This was my first successful business venture.

Most of the products invented here are credited to Edison. He worked with several talented employees who conducted research and development.

8. Edison was Nikola Tesla’s boss

By Napoleon Sarony – Wikimedia

Nikola Tesla disagreed with Edisons’s invention that Alternating current and direct current are two different ways to conduct and transmit electricity.

According to Nikola, Alternating Current had potential and therefore Tesla sold patents that relied on alternating current to industrialist George Westinghouse.

Tesla temporarily worked with Edison after his lab burnt.

9. He had more than 1000 patents

Edison acquired 1093 for his inventions. He is the only one to hold this number of patents in the world.

His first patent was the Electrographic Vote-Recorder machine. This invention was rejected by politicians.

He greatly impacted the nation’s energy sector by inventing the light bulb, electric lighting, electricity generator among many others.