15 Inventions From Thomas Edison That Changed The World

Born 166 years ago on Feb. 11, 1847, Thomas Edison was an incredibly successful inventor, scientist, and businessman, accumulating 1,093 patents in his lifetime.

Although the man from Milton, Ohio purchased many of his patents and is falsely credited with others (like the lightbulb), he was responsible for many useful creations. His laboratory in Menlo Park, N.J. was so productive that at one point, he promised to turn out "a minor invention every ten days and a big thing every six months or so."

All told, he played a vital role in shaping the modern world.

Citing both the Thomas Edison Papers, a research project at Rutgers University, and the Edison Birthplace Museum, we have compiled an official list of Edison's greatest inventions.