How a Fishing Trip Helped Edison Invent the Lightbulb
At the heart of the story is a fishing trip that changed history. While most people think Edison simply worked tirelessly in his laboratory, the truth is far more interesting. A day spent fishing gave Edison the key insight he needed to find the perfect filament — the tiny thread inside the bulb that makes it actually work. It’s the kind of story that reminds us that great inventors keep their eyes open everywhere, not just in the lab.
But this episode has a second story that students love even more. Edison and his son had a fishing contest — and what happened during that contest reveals the kind of man Edison really was. Warm, competitive, curious, and endlessly creative even when he wasn’t working.
About DrB
Read more about DrB »
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program »
I’ve always wanted to try fly fishing, maybe when I’m older.
100 pound fish thats crazy
this was a funny one the dynamite was unexpected
Sometimes I think we forget that people in history or famous people have/had normal lives, yet it’s still so cool to note how someone so intelligent and important to the world did something as simple as fish in his free time.
I have never fished before.
I love fishing
That was really fun!
Wow he went fishing i need to learn how to catch a fish
Science live is so entertaining.
Didn’t know we used Bamboo for lightbulbs at first. Great Science Live this week.
I didn’t know that!
Love the science lives
Kai here! Sometimes we need to step into nature in order to allow great ideas to enter our mind. Edison’s work is amazing!
I LOVE THESE SHOW SO MUCH THESE ARE REALLY FUN TO WATHC AND DO
That was interesting that he was able to invent the lightbulb with help from a fishing trip
He is super good at explaining the science behind things
I LOVE SCICNE LIVE SO MUCH
Wow i never knew that fishing played a role in one of the greatest inventions
I thought it was sweet that edison went fishing with his son
I love fishing!!!!!
Aw that’s sweet that he went fishing with his son!
I wish I had the LED cube!
I like fishing
Rhodes zapf. I fished before but I didn’t catch a fish
I read a book about Thomas Edison his mom said he had lots of energy and was probably adhd. That’s amazing that he invented a light bulb,even if it only worked for 10ths at first.
I love how this history and fishing are important to each other
I love fishing
This is so cool.
This weeks live was great
i love science live thank you all for doing it for us all!
How would I attend a science live in person?
Who knew fishing could lead to these discoveries
I love fishing
wow 6000 is a lot
I love fishing! Project deep hole?
This was a very interesting video!
Very interesting!
I LOVE TO FISH!!! This episode is so interesting to me !!!! I also LOVE windchimes and have a set of >>> BAMBOO WINDCHIMES !! The most beautiful sound EVER! Thank you for this !!!
See you next Wednesday
Wow this is so cool I never knew any of thia
Hi from Texas …our park has catch and release fishing pier.. Great science live!
i love learning!
I really like fishing; I always have good luck when doing it
Amazing how changing the filament changed the duration of the lightbulb so much!
That cube was so cool how did it solve it’s self?
This episode was kind of wholesome.
Another great science live!
I love Pajet’s fishing stories!😂 I think it would be a very interesting thing to fish with dynamite, lol!😂 🐟
i think this science live is cool
I love fishing with my dad.
This was an amazing science live! I am always so interested by what I learn.
this one was so great 😄
Thank you for another great episode.
So cool! I learned something new!
This science live was great.
I love how fishing helped make a lightbulb!
i learned so much from this
That’s very cool!! What a great science live
This was a great science live
I’ve actually been fishing before and I never would have thought that’s what helped him invent the light bulb. I usually just think the fish feel funny and that it takes forever to actually get a bite.
Awesome lesson!
loved learning about Thomas Edison . thank you, Dr. Billings for allowing us to attend these science lives.
Science is my favorite subject.
Fishing helped Edison invent things.
Wow Edison sounds pretty cool! Thank you for this Science Live!
I love fishing
Thank you for a great Science Live, such an interesting video!
I wonder if Edison didn’t invent the light bulb how much longer it would have been until someone did? The lightbulb is another invention that has really evolved over time. They make them more energy efficient and smart.
I love science live.
Wow, I enjoyed learning about this.
I love science live
I would like to go fishing one day even though I don’t enjoy eating a lot expect salmon
Wow the episode today was really engaging!
Very interesting.
So cool! Thomas Edison and his Great Son!
Thanks for a great funny video
How many fish did you catch?
Learning about Edison is so cool. When I went to Florida I went to see a museum about him in Fort Myers.
Great reminder that sometimes stepping away from a problem can help you find a solution.
It was really neat to see Edison’s first light bulb. Crazy to think he never gave up testing over 6000 different things to come up with the filament.
wOW!!!!!!!!! THANKS
I love the science live
Great live!
This was a great episode
Great episode, quiet and self time is needed, so we can focus on our own goals.
Cool history lesson about Thomas Edison and the invention of the light bulb. I didn’t know that electric lights were around before then.
That’s really interesting!
Loved the fishing one!!
Thomas Edison fishing is awesome!!!
Great episode, fishing so fun. Time to think is needed without distraccion. Thanks
Loved the episode!
I love Edison!
I love fishing so much and I love this live too!
great science live oh my gosh!!
Thanks for another awesome episode! I always enjoy watching them.
I can believe that a fishing trip helped it invent the light bulb because fishing is so relaxing and fun that you think about stuff like that with distractions.
I love this video so cool!
This made fishing so interesting! Usually, I want nothing to do with fishing haha!
The light block looked like a homemade rubix cube!
Science lives are Awesome!
I’m so sad I missed this!!!
This was an amazing science live. I really cant wait for the next one
I loved this live!
Thanks for a fun science live,
Thank you for sharing. I love fishing too.
i low-key hate fishing, but it’s crazy how it led to an amazing part of life
These science lives are so fun I always learn so much
this was cool
the silver fish is so so cool. and it is so cute that his son whent fishing with him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this was a great science live
I loved this episode. True life lessons. Stop and think. I loved hearing about Edison fishing with no bait.
Edison was very perseverant!
The little robot in the video was cool
I did not know Thomas Edison was a fisherman!
I have never seen a cube like that I also did not know that Edison had a son or that fishing inspired him to make the lightbulb I also did not know that he fished.
super cool to learn more about thomas eddison
Love this episode!
I love Acellus!
I love Science Live!
It’s interesting to know such a funny thing
Thank you for teaching me to be open minded about learning even when I’m not studying.
Now I want to go fishing!! I like using worms, but have never tried to fly fish.
Thank you!
I Love science live!
Science live was great us usual! I never knew fishing helped in the invention of the light bulb!
Can’t believe it all started with a fishing trip!
Great show !!
My family loves fishing! This was so interesting!
Lol Dr. B, “I dont know what her planet of origin is” anyone else here from the moon?? pretty lame but the aliens kicked me off the ship and I landed on the moon
that is so cool! i love fishing!
I didn’t know that about Thomas Edison.
I wish I coulld come up with inventions while I fish. haha
How neat! Great video!
Who invented the newtons cradle.
how much time did it take Tomas to invent the lightbulb.
how long did it take for all of the men to get across the world
these episodes are so fun to watch thanks Acellus!
I love science live!!
This is so cool!
I had never went fishing before
Thomas Edison was a really good inventor I think ive heard of him before.😎
i love fishing
My family and I fish frequently!
I love this!
I love science live
This was a great Science Live!
Amazing video!
I thought it was cool on how he invented the lightbulb with just a little flare, and now thanks to him we have the lightbulb and we are able to have lanterns for when people wanna go fishing at night time or when they just need light in general.
Yes
Love to fish
I know right
I agree 100%! science live is awesome and hilarious at the same time!
How long did it take for Edison to improve the light bulb?
Thats so cool that edison went fishing with his son
What are the odds that by just being still and quiet, things just start to make sense. This just proves that Jesus is real.
Nice!
Amen to that!
Great show !! Fishing sounds fun ..can’t wait to try it it.
Crazy that such a big invention came from a fishing pole!
I could never imagine catching a hundred pound fish. Incredible!
I loved science live today!
Hi! Thanks for more information about Edison! My cousins absolutely love fishing, so this video was really funny!
This Live is Fun. Glad I caught it.
I love this science love
So funny! 😍
That’s so funny! I wish I could of seen his face when he saw the 100 pound silver king fish!
Awesome video
Can you have R51 fly a P51.
This was a really great science live video, thanks Dr. Billings
I love fishing and I never knew that it helped make a lightbulb
Another great watch
I am graduating middle school this year. Hi from Georgia .
I love fishing with my dad!
Hello from Texas
Great video as always
Science live teaches me things i would not normally know
I’m so excited for fishing this summer! Fishing with my dad and little sisters when we’re camping has always been one of my favorite things.
This may be my favorite!
I learn a lot this science live
love it and enjoy it
wow this is so interesting
Hi! From Texas!
Amazing ScienceLIVE video!
This live was very interesting . Every week we learn something different.
Yeah I totally agree
I love fishing
This live was so cool. I have gone fishing with a bamboo fishing pole it was fun.
Hi i love to fly fish i went fishing on easter and got 5 fish from the fly rode
ahh man this is so cool! I am learning how to fish now
I love to fish!
This was a great science live! Learned a lot.
man this one is great
this is so cool! Thanks acellus!
You soccer back