Final answer:
Thomas Edison is recognized for perfecting the practical incandescent light bulb in 1879 at his Menlo Park laboratory. His revolutionary bulb improvement, complete with an electric lighting system, significantly progressed the electrical industry and shaped modern conveniences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Edison and the Light Bulb
Thomas Edison is credited with inventing the light bulb at his Menlo Park laboratory. Although the concept of the light bulb already existed, Edison's significant contribution was creating a practical, reliable, and long-lasting version in 1879. His light bulb used a carbonized cotton thread filament and was part of a larger electric lighting system that included fuses, meters, and switches, which he developed in his lab.
Edison's development was driven by the desire to provide lighting that was safer, cheaper, and more convenient than the gas lights and carbon arc lamps of the time. By 1882, Edison's Electric Illuminating Company, financially backed by J.P. Morgan, started supplying electricity to customers in New York City, with his companies later merging into Edison General Electric Company. Notably, Edison ran a large research laboratory which fostered a model for organized invention that significantly impacted industrial manufacturing.