Inventing the Lightbulb – How Fishing Inspired Edison
February 05, 2025 • EPISODE 251
Did you know Thomas Edison didn’t just invent the light bulb? He also fished for ideas! Listen as Roger Billings shares how a fishing trip led to one of the greatest inventions of all time.
About DrB
Read more about DrB »
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program »
Follow
Recent Episodes
255. Ohm’s Law
What is Ohm’s Law, and how does it work? In this Science LIVE episode, Dr. Roger Billings simplifies it for students! Explore electricity basics as he explains the connection between voltage, current, and resistance with real-world examples and practical tips.
254. Nitric Oxide Crisis
Have you heard of nitric oxide and do you know why it matters? Learn more in this episode of Science LIVE as Roger Billings takes us back to 1972 and the General Motors Urban Vehicle Design Competition. Discover how he tackled the challenge of nitric oxide emissions and why his hydrogen-powered car had a cleaner exhaust than even the electric entries—with zero emissions!
253. Fun with Magnetism
Magnets are more than just fridge decorations—they’re key to some of the biggest innovations in science! This week on Science LIVE, Dr. Roger Billings explores how magnets and electromagnets work. He shares how electromagnets played a crucial role in his invention of the hydrogen engine. Plus, big news for Acellus students—the Acellus Gold Store is officially open! Find out how you can use your Gold Coins to unlock exciting rewards.
Well i was today years old when i learned that fishing had something to do with the light bulb.
Who would have known a fishing trip would change the world.
I love fishing!!!
This is so cool
WOW!
If he did not just make the lightbulb what other big ides has he made that has made a big impact on us
Bamboo?! Such a SMART IDEA!!!
It’s interesting that fishing can create ideas like Thomas Edison had.
Lightbulbs are taken for granted
Cool episode i think fishing is super calming and exciting and i think it is funny that Edison’s son caut a fish bigger than his!
How many patents did Thomas Edison hold by the end of his life
Crazy how this ends up happening!
I didn’t know Edison fished…
Wow this video was so cool! 🙂
This is really cool information I never knew Thomas Edison got ideas from fishing.
What was another idea that was maybe going to be used instead of the lightbulb?
very cool!
Imagine if we didn’t have light bulbs.
I love fishing myself so learning about those stories was really cool to hear.
I like the little black box with all the colors.
I can’t believe that technolgy is getting this advance.
It’s interesting that Edison Fishing led to him inventing the lightbulb.
It’s really interesting that Thomas Edison used fishing as a way to relax and brainstorm and come up with new ideas for his inventions!
I like the fishing stories. The shoe story was good.
wow wow!!!
I learned that the fiber of cotton is a light bulb, and it was need in the sense that it would light up.
I learned that we need fiber cotton to make light bulbs light up but sometimes when we need fiber cotton to make light bulbs light up the light bulb would be on for only about 10 hours and then the light bulb would burn out.
The fishing with dynamite story was very funny.
Interesting.
Very interesting
did Thomas Edison make other inventions if so what are they and what inspired him to make them
Fun video
Great video.
I fish 24/7. It is very fun, and not at all boring, in my opinion. In Minnesota on crystal lake, I caught close to a MN state record! I’ll give you a tip for plain fishing. Cast a night-crawler worm out into the water, without a bobber. let it sink for 15 seconds, and start slowly reeling. It works for monster bass, and northern pike! Best of luck!
-Fisher-woman, noel duke.
I love the fish tail
I feel very inspired after watching this.
I had no idea he invented this many big important things!
Loved the video!
How doses the lightbulb burn?
lightbulbs are very important
Wow, I didn’t’t know that Edison fished before he became a scientist.What types of bamboo were Edison using for fishing?
How does that rubic’s cube work if it was just screens?
Asked my parents if they remember their first computer! They gave me a grumpy look LOL
I love that Edison fished, I did know that. I love fishing!!!
awesome vid
I love this!
crazy how something as revolutionary as the lightbulb was inspired by a simple activity like fishing!
Love fishing! so cool to see he was inspired by it
Edison was a fisherman? Crazy to think about haha
I remember my mom told me Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.
Interesting video!
Thanks for the live
I find it amazing how someone can take something as common as fishing and morph it into a life changing invention.
Watching replay!
Woohoo! 🙌🙌🙌🎉🎉🎉
Wow I didn’t know he could fish like that.
I love “I’m not wanting to be tested.” Magic isn’t it
Wow!
this was very fun to watch
Such a fantastic video.
That’s crazy
I’m so glad lightbulbs were invented. It’d be such a dark world. (pun intended)
It was very interesting to learn how he was inspired.
love this live!
I believe that fishing played a crucial role in Mr. Edison’s success because it gives you a lot of quiet time to create ideas, and it teaches patience, which was necessary for testing 6,000 materials for the lightbulb.
Great video!!!!
Wow this is cool
i like fish
Light bulbs have been so important to society both in a revolutionary way and just its common usage day to day. Such a fascinating and crazy concept that Edison came up with then saw through.
Cool video
WAS THE LIGHTBULB THE ONLY INVENTION THOMAS EDISON INVENTED?
Have you ever solved a rubics cube? What was your shortest time? I have never been able to finish one.
Its amazing how science is sometimes discovered in the weirdest ways!
This was very cool!
I like how Thomas Edison invented light bulbs and fishing that is so amazing!
This is a nice video I loved it!!!!
Great video
I love learning about how the light bulb was invented
tHE INVENTION OF THE LIGHTBULB WAS ANAZING.
I thought Einstein was inspired by tesla
This shows how one human was inspired and invented a life changing invention and without it we would have multiple problems
wow!!
he’s been a very inspiring person
I didn’t know that Thomas Edison liked to fish.
Maybe a ridiculous statement but watching this with my daughter ( whom is a Acellus student) I’m wondering why details like this never made it into my experience when I was a student . To have a program that explains so much behind a scientific invention is truly remarkable. So glad my daughter and I can learn these things to really give us a better appreciation for what we have today.
Great video
Such a useful invention!
I’m so glad Edison invented the light bulb
Wow
It’s so interesting that fishing inspired him
It’s so interesting that the lightbulb was invented only after being inspired by something as simple as fishing, and now it’s used in daily life.
Thanks for all this info, you and I always find the same things interesting!
Really great lesson!
How many lightbulbs are made everyday?
this was so awesome
I never knew that a fishing trip led to Edison’s invention of the lightbulb.
i enjoyed the video
My dad really likes Edison, this lesson taught me more about him 🙂
Wow cool video!
It’s not surprising that his most popular invention became the symbol for a good idea itself
That’s cool
I think that it is awesome how fishing inspired Thomas Edison.
It’s so interesting how he was inspired like something simple like fishing.
This is amazing
How did Edison come up with the idea to make a generator?
This was a fun topic
It’s cool how creativity and thinking can turn everyday activities into an invention to solve a problem.
Thomas Edison was so talented!
Thank you for a interesting episode and I hope you all have a great week🥰
cool^^
That is so cool!
wow!!
cool 🙂
That’s awesome
this was a good video
wow!!
Hehe I like the auto rubex cube.
Wow that was a really cool video
Wow I didn’t know fishing was what he did! I think I wanna go fishing one day!
Very interesting ..
Great Video
crazy how he invented that.
This live was very interesting. It makes me want to go outside and fish!
Whoa I wonder what kind of “fish” Thomas Edison caught
Wow! This is such an interesting video!
that is really cool
What other kinds of things did he use to help figure out what would work for the light filament?
very great episode
I liked the Edison bulb. I also have a question. How are light bulbs made?
We are so blessed for the light bulb
that’s really cool
I like the light bulb
so fantastic!
wow I didn’t know Edison fished. very interesting video thanks
Loved this live
Hey y’all i liked the video. I’m sad I recently had a breakup but r51 always cheers me up!!
I loved this live!! And really enjoyed learning about this.
That was actually really cool!
Who knew a fishing trip help lead to the discovery of the light bulb.
So many interesting things to learn about Thomas Edison!
so interesting!
Interesting video
Interesting video!
Oh, wow! I never knew that fishing played a role in Thomas Edison inventing the light bulb. I love to fish so I think that’s really cool.
That is cool
What would we do without electricity?
What other inventions did Thomas Edison make?
I’m loving this.
Very fun video. I loved learning about inventions.
The ground breaking discovery of the lightbulb is fascinating!
What else did Thomas Edison invent?
The fish with dynamite story is really funny
I love snakes! I hope in a future episode reptiles will be examined and studied. Have a great week!😜
How did Paget solve the light rubix cube with her mind??
The dynamite fishing story was very funny story. Was it a true story?
Happy Valentine’s Day
Awesome video!
Inspiring
I’ve never gone fishing but I want to try someday
What is so special about that certain bamboo?
Great video of the light bulb invention by Thomas Edison!
Its nice that Thomas Edison traveled to Japan to experiment, did he travel to any other countries besides Japan.
Was a really cool video! I really enjoyed learning more about Thomas Edison
This is an awesome video! I love having the knowledge about Thomas Edison!
I had no clue he invited other things!
did Thomas Edison make other inventions.
This is a great video. I did not know he invented more than just the light bulb. How old was Thomas Edison when he invented the light bulb?
Wow!! this was so cool!
I like the new intro to the science live, thankyou so much, I really enjoyed watching this video.
Where did Thomas Edison Live? Why was he so interested in science?
Hey DR,Billings, What was your favorite fish you ever caught?
I didn’t know that the lights were like welding bright and couldn’t be used inside. I think that Eddison’s light bulb was necessary.
Thank you for the video. I absolutely love this video and I am happy to learn something new.
This was a really interesting story about Thomas Edison! I never knew that!
I love learning about science, this is a great program for kids to watch. You are an inspiring homeschooling site.
I couldn’t imagine life as we know it without electricity and light.
Cool episode
What is the longest a lightbulb has lasted?
would we survive with out electricity?
I do not have the patience for fishing. I can never catch one!
does anybody else think how amazing, that such a small thing like fishing can lead to one of the most wanted and used things on earth?! 💡💡💡!