As the old saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Thomas Alva Edison might just be proof of the validity of that statement. Born in Milan, Ohio, in 1847, Edison, like most people of that era, had minimal formal education. As a young boy, Edison experienced significant hearing problems, which he mistakenly attributed to an incident where he was lifted onto a moving train by his ears. While that is a shocking event, the problem most likely occurred as a result of having scarlet fever. No matter how it happened, Edison’s hearing loss inspired many of his inventions. At 16, Edison began working as a telegraph operator and soon focused his energy and creativity on improving telegraph technology. By 1869, Edison knew what his life’s work would be, and he dedicated himself entirely to invention, and in 1876, he established a lab and machine shop in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
Edison’s life work was driven by his exceptional intuition. Also, he surrounded himself with skilled assistants who brought the technical expertise he didn’t have. At Menlo Park, Edison continued refining the telegraph and, in 1877, accidentally invented the phonograph while trying to record telephone communications. Public demonstrations of the phonograph made him internationally famous, earning him the nickname “Wizard of Menlo Park.” While his ability to record and play back sound secured his place in history, it was just the beginning. Edison’s inventions weren’t totally dedicated to sound, however. He and his team created the first practical incandescent lightbulb in 1879 and a precursor to the movie camera and projector in the late 1880s. 
Then, in 1887, he founded the world’s first industrial research lab in West Orange, where teams of workers systematically explored various subjects.
One of his most significant contributions to the modern industrial world was his work in electricity. He created a comprehensive electrical distribution system for lighting and power, established the world’s first power plant in New York City, and invented the alkaline battery, the first electric railroad, and many other innovations that formed the foundation of the modern electric era. He was quite dedicated to his work, and continued inventing well into his 80s, amassing 1,093 patents in his lifetime, before passing away at his home in New Jersey on October 18, 1931, at the age of 84.
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