Essays

I have read the biographies of many scientists who have brought about revolutionary changes in the life of modern man but none has impressed me more than Thomas Alva Edison.

Edison was born in a poor family and as such could not get any formal education except the rudimentary knowledge of the three R's—reading, writing and arithmetic. From very early age he had to work for a Living.

He was allowed to set up his laboratory and printing press in a compartment of a railway train through the rood offices of a railway guard. It was here that Edison printed and sold his newspaper. But one day however as ill luck would have it he broke a bottle which set fire to some of the rail boards. The angry guard thereafter turned Edison out of the train.

Edison was fond of making strange experiments that m.ide him an object of ridicule. One day however he saved the son of a telegraph operator from being run over by   a speeding train. The operator, out of gratitude taught in telegraphy.

This meant a tremendous opportunity for him. He became such a professional expert in the subject that he set right the disorder in the wires of the telegraph Company of New York. Edison got a handsome reward for assignment and he could now set up his own laboratory and industrial factory. Then began the period of his inventions.

Edison tried different filaments which could produce Light when charged with electricity. He succeeded in finding out the right type of filament. The invention was perfected and there is not a place where there is no electric light.

His other inventions are the gramophone and cinematography. After long years of research, Edison succeeded in inventing phonography. His invention was based on the principle that sound can be drawn on a disc. A needle is made to vibrate and with the help of diaphragm the sound is reproduced.

One of the greatest contributions of Edison has been cinematography. There were so many inventions made by this person that people started calling him a wizard.

Edison began his life as a poor person but through his I innovative mind, research and development made a lot | of money. He worked untiringly to enrich the world with his scientific knowledge. He showed the world that science and technology could be at the service of man which fact makes him my cherished scientist.

Famous Scientists and their Contributions

1. Orwille Wright and Wilbur Wright: Invention   of Aeroplane.

2. Thomas Alva Edison : Invention of Gramophone and Electric Bulb.

3. John Logic Baird: Invention of Television.

4. Guglielinoss Marconi : Invention of Radio

5. Albert Einstein : Theory of Relativity, Photoelectric effect.

6. issue Newton : Laws of Motion, Principle of

7. Gregor John Mendel: Principles of Genetics,