Light bulbs were invented through a series of developments beginning in the early 1800s. The first electric light was created by Sir Humphry Davy in 1802 by passing a current through a platinum strip, producing an electric arc light. However, this was not a practical bulb for everyday use. The incandescent light bulb as we know it began to take shape in the 19th century. In 1840, Warren de la Rue enclosed a platinum coil in a vacuum tube to create an early version of the incandescent bulb. Later, in the 1870s and 1880s, inventors like Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison made significant improvements. Edison, in particular, invented a practical and commercially viable incandescent bulb in 1879, using a carbonized bamboo filament that could last up to 1,200 hours and developed a better vacuum inside the bulb. Edison's improvements made the widespread use of electric light possible.
In summary, the light bulb as a concept dates back to the early 1800s, but the practical incandescent bulb was invented and commercialized by Thomas Edison in 1879.
