Thomas Edison died on 18 October 1931 in West Orange, aged 84. An American inventor and businessman, Edison set up a research laboratory at Menlo Park, New Jersey, which became a model for industrial research and employed teams of assistants. He developed the phonograph in 1877 and a practical incandescent light bulb in 1879, together with a system of electric power generation and distribution. He held more than a thousand US patents, and worked on the motion-picture camera and the Kinetoscope. His companies led to General Electric. He was involved in the so-called war of the currents, promoting direct current against the alternating current favoured by George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla.
Before and after
- 18 September 1931Mukden incident
- 6 October 1931Birth of Riccardo Giacconi
- 7 October 1931Birth of Desmond Tutu
- 15 October 1931Birth of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
- 18 October 1931Death of Thomas Edison
- 11 December 1931Founding of Commonwealth of Nations
- 1932Founding of Ligue 1
- 1932Construction of Phu Bai International Airport
- from 1932 to 1933Holodomor
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This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.