Sarah, age 9

by Sarah Durand
(Ñuble, CHILE)

A Genius Who Changed the World

Do you like to ask questions? Are you fond of making experiments to learn the answers? If so, then you are like Thomas Alva Edison because that describes him too. He was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio, and determinedly became a famous inventor.

Because Thomas Edison invented the carbon telephone transmitter in 1877, the Bell telephone was greatly improved. That same year he also cleverly made a machine, known as the phonograph, that saved sounds and then replayed them. It was an exciting year. Things were only going to get better!

Instead of using candlelight and oil lamps which were dangerous and messy, Edison sought to make a light that you could turn on and off using electricity. It took a lot of work! He considered about three thousand different ideas. Finally in 1879 Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb for which we are all thankful today.

Edison did not stop inventing stuff! He cheerfully kept asking questions and experimenting to answer them. In 1891 he invented a motion picture camera, which quickly became popular. Because of this new machine, he and his company were able to make the first story movies.

Thomas Alva Edison received many honors for his inventions. He had 1,093 patents! Sadly, on October 18, 1931, he died at age 84 in West Orange, New Jersey. Because he used his talents wisely, he was a genius who changed the world.