Light fantastic: World's oldest lightbulb still burning bright after 109 years

[7redorbs]

The world's oldest light bulb has been burning for 109 years - so little wonder it has a fan club with thousands of members and its own website.

As EU rules deny householders the right to use traditional filament bulbs, the so-called 'Centennial Light' has been on almost constantly since 1901.

It holds pride of place in Fire Station 6, in Livermore, northern California.

The longest time the Guinness World Record-holding bulb has ever been turned off for is just a week.

Dangling above the fire engines, people come for hundreds and thousands of miles to see the diminutive symbol.

The bulb was designed by Adolphe Chailet, who competed with the likes of the world famous Thomas Edison to make the best bulb.

Despite his amazing design Chailet was never as successful as Edison even though his bulb was proved to survive higher voltages.

Bulb protector Steve Bunn said the secret of the lights success was down to good old fashioned engineering.

He said: 'They certainly don't make them like this anymore, it's a real sign of how some things were better made in the past.

'The man who invented the bulb was Adolphe Chailet and he sounded by all accounts to be a very serious person.

'But when it comes to spark, he did perform an experiment where several competitors, including Edison.

'All the bulbs were subjected to a test of increasing voltage, and exploded, all except for Chailet's which just got brighter.

'That would have been fun to watch.

'The appeal of the light is worldwide, a few weeks ago I received a message from someone living in the Arctic Circle.

Now I heard about this a while ago, when I think, Mythbusters? Visited the fire crew to checkout their really old bulb. It's pretty simple really, you make the filament really thick so that it doesn't burn out.. Then you will never need to pay a crapload on bulbs again, and waste material, downturns? Well, it's marginally more expensive, because its thicker Thought it might jerk a few peoples brains, as a gentle reminder of the stupid wasteful society we live in, in more respects than one. Enough of the throw away nation.


Just like the lamp.. at bohemian grove (har har har) ;-) I'm sure the number '6' has no special meaning.

Surely the concept of everlasting light couldn't come from nature? The sun? A truly wonderful symbol of profound meaning, for all that can be good, and sometimes, all that can be bad. A powerful one.

Still glowing strong after 109 years: the world's oldest lightbulb | Mail Online

[Mr X]

Shhh… don't tell the ecomentals, they'll be down there demanding the bulb is replaced with a skin-cancer inducing, mercury containing, cfl...