December 31, 1879 - New York Herald reports on Thomas Alva Edison's breakthrough discovery

The front page of the American newspaper New York Herald reported a discovery by the talented American inventor and scientist that was to revolutionise the world in the field of electric lighting.

It took Thomas Alva Edison 14 months of research, an investment of $40,000, and more than 1,200 experiments to introduce the electric light bulb on 21 October 1879. The announcement was made in his Menlo Park laboratory in New Jersey (United States), where they saw the light bulb radiate for the first time for 40 hours at a time.

It had a great impact; firstly, because Edison was already a recognised inventor and had a multitude of profits from his inventions, such as the telegraph, improvements to the telephone, and the brand new phonograph; and secondly, because its development had been delayed longer than expected, taking fourteen months when it was originally estimated to take no more than four.

More than 3,000 people visited the Menlo Park laboratory to witness the incandescent light bulb. Edison switched it on and off, dazzling and delighting his guests. They were all witnessing the birth of electric light.