Final answer:
Thomas Edison earned 1,093 patents over his lifetime, contributing significant inventions like the light bulb and phonograph, and led the Menlo Park laboratory, influencing modern industrial research practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Edison, one of the most prolific inventors in history, has earned an impressive number of patents throughout his life. The correct answer to the number of patents he earned is c) 1,093. Edison's passion for innovation and his methodical approach to invention resulted in a wide array of devices and technologies that have radically transformed the world.
Best known for his groundbreaking work on the incandescent light bulb, Edison was not just focused on electric lighting; his ingenuity spanned multiple disciplines and industries. Aside from electric lighting, other notable inventions credited to Edison include the phonograph and the motion picture camera. His first invention, the automatic vote counter, didn’t achieve commercial success, but it was the beginning of his prolific inventing career.
Edison ran the famous Menlo Park laboratory, which hosted an international team of scientists. This innovative research laboratory set the standard for industrial research and development, a practice that is still essential in today's corporate world.