EdisonwasborninAmerica.Whenhewasachild,manypeoplethoughtthathewasnotgood,infact,hewasfullofthinking.Hedidalotfortheworld,heownedoveronethousandinventions."Thegeniuscontistsofonepercentinspirationandninty-ninepercentsweat."AlthoughIcan'tbeEdison,Icanlearnhardworkingfromhim. 　　ThomasAlvaEdisonwasbornonFebruary11,1847inMilan,Ohio.Withonlythreemonthsofformaleducationhebecameoneofthegreatestinventorsandindustrialleadersinhistory.Edisonobtained1,093UnitedStatespatents,themostissuedtoanyindividual. 　　Edison'sgreatestcontributionwasthefirstpracticalelectriclighting.Henotonlyinventedthefirstsuccessfulelectriclightbulb,butalsosetupthefirstelectricalpowerdistributioncompany.Edisoninventedthephonograph,andmadeimprovementstothetelegraph,telephoneandmotionpicturetechnology.Healsofoundedthefirstmodernresearchlaboratory. 　　ThomasEdisonbeganhiscareerasaninventorinNewark,NewJersey,withtheautomaticrepeaterandhisotherimprovedtelegraphicdevices,buttheinventionwhichfirstgainedhimfamewasthephonographin1877.Thisaccomplishmentwassounexpectedbythepublicatlargeastoappearalmostmagical.Edisonbecameknownas"TheWizardofMenloPark,"NewJersey,wherehelived.Hisfirstphonographrecordedontinfoilaroundagroovedcylinderandhadpoorsoundquality.Thetinfoilrecordingscouldonlybereplayedafewtimes.Inthe1880s,aredesignedmodelusingwax-coatedcardboardcylinderswasproducedbyAlexanderGrahamBell,ChichesterBell,andCharlesTainter.ThiswasonereasonthatThomasEdisoncontinuedworkonhisown"PerfectedPhonograph.