This article tells the story of the Centennial bulb, a light bulb that has been burning for over 120 years. It explores its history, its unique design, and its impressive longevity.
Since the invention of commercial light bulbs in the late 19th century, one bulb has outshone all others. In 2025, it could enter its 124th year of working life. Exactly when the 60-watt bulb was manufactured and the year it was first turned on are a bit unclear, but according to Guinness World Records, the so-called Centennial bulb's illumination is a testament to the strength and longevity of the world's first commercial light bulbs. For many years now, it has burned on.
Experts have studied the Centennial bulb's anatomy and predicted that if it continues to emanate 4 watts or less, it could last for another century.According to local accounts, the light bulb was first donated to a firehouse in Livermore, California in 1901, and while it changed locations a few times over the decades, the bulb is still with the local fire department. 'It was left on 24 hours a day to break up the darkness so the volunteers could find their way,' the Livermore fire chief told reporter Mike Dunstan for the 1972.The Centennial bulb was made by a company called Shelby and it contains a carbon filament that doesn't wear out as easily as tungsten. Even still, tungsten came to be the favorite for light bulbs in the 20th century. The Shelby light bulb is hand-blown, and its thick carbon wire is kept safely in a vacuum, where it maintains a steady low-watt gleam. Advertisement for the Shelby lamp. Other advertisements for the Shelby lamp also listed 'lamps of any voltage from 30 to 250' with 'efficiencies from 3 to 4 watts' and 'the longest life with the greatest economy.' ( No one yet knows if LED bulbs can outperform the Shelby bulb, but today, the average LED light is said to las
LIGHT BULB CENTENNIAL BULB CARBON FILAMENT LIFESPAN HISTORY
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