No major commentary here. Just want to note that have visited Edison vacation home in Sarasota, FL. Interesting about Ford because I recall they were good friends and would vacation together. Edison was a serious researcher and did have a large lab next to the vacation home. He was trying to develop rubber substitutes (plant-based, I think) for the war. He did not succeed, think vulcanization was the major advance. He and his team are responsible for many of the devices we have today: electric fans, electric irons, etc.
Read a university account of his relationship with Tesla. Started overseas and then Tesla moved here, I think working in NY for Edison. Edison was impressed by him. He did get some ideas from Edison which caused conflict when he left. If I recall, he was working at Edison on alternating current generators. Edison was fixated on direct current, so Tesla left. Westinghouse picked up, financing the Tesla ideas. Direct current lost, too difficult with large batteries. Alternating current occurs with by rotating wire thru a magnetic field or vice-versa, generated by hydropower or steam turbines. The phonograph was invented by Edison. Current turntables also have the iron or magnet moving, generating the current, similar to electric generator. He did not invent movie projection but got into it. Was out rather quickly as people soon got bored with just being startled by the illusion of approaching locomotives and wanted stories. He also, if I recall, sold off the light bulb business when he saw alternating current had won. Got into mining and developed major machines there.
While it took around 1000 tries to get to the tungsten filament, he actual was repeatedly success with other materials. He just kept improving it.
