A New York Times reporter was about to witness something spectacular. Stooped over a table in a laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, Thomas Alva Edison observed the makeshift filament of a lamp. Moments earlier, he had tested its vacuum and asked his assistant to seal it. As the dynamo bled power to the lamp, the reflection of light started shining in Edison's blue eyes, according to the reporter's account from 1879. Many recognize Edison as the first inventor of incandescent light. Yet, Edison was not the first person to create it. In fact, he studied the work of many other prominent inventors and researchers to accomplish his unique breakthrough. Unlike previous electric lamp designs, Edison's solution required less power and lasted longer. The current state of affairs with electric aircraft bears some resemblance to the development of incandescent light. If all-electric aviation for large numbers of passenger transport ever happens, it will not occur overnight. Small feats of invention will be needed along the way to achieve an optimal solution.
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