Thomas Alva Edison was a world-famous American electrician and inventor. In addition to his inventions and contributions in phonographs, electric lights, telephones, telegraphs, movies, etc., he also made great contributions to mining. There are also many famous creations and insights in the fields of , construction, chemical industry, etc. Edison made about 2,000 inventions throughout his life, making great contributions to human civilization and progress.
Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in the small town of Milan, Ohio, in the midwestern United States. His father is of Dutch descent, and his mother worked as a primary school teacher and is of Scottish descent. When Edison was 7 years old, his father lost money in the roofing business, so the family moved to Fort Gratiot in the northern suburbs of Huron, Michigan. Shortly after moving here, Edison contracted scarlet fever and remained ill for a long time. The disease was believed to be the cause of his deafness. Edison went to school at the age of 8, but after only three months of studying, he was dismissed by the teacher as an "imbecile" and kicked out of school. From then on, his mother was his "home tutor". Because of his mother's good education methods, he developed a strong interest in reading. "He not only read a lot of books, but he also read ten lines at a glance and could recite them after reading them." When he was 8 years old, he read the works of Shakespeare and Dickens, the most important playwrights of the English Renaissance, and many important historical books. By the age of 9, he could quickly read more difficult books, such as Parker's "Nature and Nature". Experimental Philosophy. I loved chemistry when I was 10 years old. At the age of 11, he experimented with his first telegraph. To earn money to buy chemicals and equipment, he started working. When he was 12 years old, he got a job selling newspapers on a train, traveling between Port Huron and Detroit, Michigan. While selling newspapers, he also runs a fruit and vegetable business. Whenever he has time, he goes to the library to read. He bought an old printing press and started publishing his own weekly magazine, the Herald. The first issue of the magazine was printed on the train. He used the money he earned to build a chemistry laboratory on a luggage cart. Unfortunately there was a chemical fire and he was thrown out of the car along with his equipment. Another time, when Edison was trying to board a freight train, a conductor grabbed his ears to help him get on. This action resulted in Edison becoming permanently deaf.
In August 1862, Edison used fearless heroism to rescue a boy who was about to be killed on the train tracks. The child's father was grateful for this, but since he had no money to repay him, he was willing to teach him telegraph skills. From then on, Edison became involved with this mysterious new world of electricity and embarked on a scientific journey.
In 1863, Edison served as a telegraph operator at the Stratford Junction Station of the Grand Trunk Railway. From 1864 to 1867, he worked as a telegraph operator in various places in the Midwest and lived a wandering life. His footprints include Stratford, Adrian, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Nashville, Tennessee, Memphis, Louisville, Huron and other places.
In 1868, Edison came to Boston as a telegraph operator. In the same year, he obtained his first invention patent. This is a device that automatically records votes. Edison thought the device would speed up the work of Congress and that it would be welcomed. However, one MP told him that they had no intention of speeding up the agenda and that sometimes voting slowly was politically necessary. From then on, Edison decided not to make any inventions that people didn't need.
In early June 1869, he came to New York to look for work. While he was waiting to be summoned at a broker's office, a telegraph machine broke down. Edison was the only one there who could fix the telegraph, and he got a better job than he expected. In October, he and Pope jointly established a "Pop-Edison Company" to specialize in scientific instruments for electrical engineering. Here, he invented the "Edison Printing Press." He dedicated the printing press to the manager of a large Wall Street company. He wanted to ask for $5,000, but he lacked the courage to say it. So he asked the manager to give him a price, and the manager gave him $40,000.
Edison used the money to build a factory on Ward Street in Newark, New Jersey, specializing in manufacturing various electrical machinery. He worked all night long. He trained many capable assistants, and at the same time, he also happened to meet the diligent Mary, his future first bride. In Newark, he made inventions such as wax paper and mimeograph machines. From 1872 to 1875, Edison invented the double and quadruple telegraph machines, and helped others build the world's first English typewriter.
In the spring of 1876, Edison moved again, this time to "Menlo Park" in New Jersey. Here he built the first "invention factory", which "marked the beginning of collective research." In 1877, Edison improved the telephone invented by Bell earlier and put it into practical use. He also invented one of his pet projects - the phonograph. The telephone and the telegraph "were a revolution that expanded human sensory functions"; the phonograph was one of the three great inventions that changed people's lives. "From the perspective of his inventive imagination, this was his most significant inventive achievement." By this time, he was known as "The Magician of Menlo Park."
While inventing the phonograph, Edison finally made a breakthrough in the research on electric lights after numerous failures. On October 22, 1879, Edison ignited the first electric light with widespread practical value. In order to extend the life of the filament, he tried again and tried more than 6,000 fiber materials before he found a new luminous body - Japanese bamboo filament, which can last for more than 1,000 hours, achieving the purpose of durability. In a way, this invention was the pinnacle of Edison's life. He then created a power supply system that allowed distant lamps to distribute power from a central power station, a major technological achievement.
His first purely scientific discovery appeared in 1883. While experimenting with electric lamps, he observed what he called the Edison effect: a charge inside a lit bulb traveling from a hot filament through space to a cold plate. Edison patented his discovery in 1884 but did not pursue further research. Other scientists used the Edison effect to develop the electronics industry, especially radio and television.
Edison also attempted to do for the eyes what the phonograph had done for the ears, and this is where the movie camera came into being. Using a strip of George Eastman's newly invented celluloid film, he took a series of photographs and projected them onto a screen in rapid succession, creating the illusion of movement. He first experimented with film in the laboratory in 1889 and applied for a patent in 1891. In 1903, his company produced its first feature film, "The Train Robbery." Edison did much to organize and standardize the motion picture industry.
After Edison moved his laboratory to West Orange in 1887, he founded many commercial companies to manufacture and market his many inventions; these companies later merged into Edison General Electric Company, later known as General Electric Company. Thereafter, his interests turned to fluoroscopy, ore crushers, magnetic separation of iron, batteries and railway signaling devices.
During World War I, he developed torpedo mechanisms, flamethrowers and underwater periscopes.
On October 21, 1929, on the 50th anniversary of the invention of the electric light, people held a grand celebration for Edison. Famous scientists such as Einstein of Germany and Marie Curie of France congratulated him. . Unfortunately, at this celebration, when Edison was giving a speech, he suddenly fainted due to excessive excitement. From then on, his health deteriorated. On October 18, 1931, this scientist who had made great contributions to mankind died of illness at the age of 84.
Edison had a very low level of education, but made such a huge contribution to mankind. What is the "secret" here? In addition to having a curious heart and an instinct for personal experimentation, he also has infinite energy and determination to work hard that are beyond ordinary people. When someone called Edison a "genius," he explained: "Genius is two percent inspiration and ninety-eight percent perspiration.
"In the "Invention Factory", he organized many people from different professions, including more than 100 scientists, engineers, technicians, and workers. Many of Edison's major inventions relied on the strength of this collective to achieve success. His achievements are mainly due to his diligence, creative talent and collective strength. In addition, his wife also played a very important role.
Lu Xun [September 25, 1881 - October 1936. August 19, 1902, a Chinese writer, thinker and revolutionary. His original name was Zhou Shuren, and he was born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. He went to Japan to study medicine, and later engaged in literary and artistic work, in an attempt to change the national spirit. From 1905 to 1907, he participated in the activities of the revolutionary party and published "The Theory of the Power of Moro Poetry" and "The Theory of Cultural Partiality". During this period, he returned to China to marry his wife Zhu An. In 1909, he and his brother Zhou Zuoren jointly translated "Collection of Foreign Stories" and introduced foreign literature. In the same year, he returned to China and taught in Hangzhou and Shaoxing. He served as a minister and official in the Ministry of Education of the Nanjing Provisional Government and the Beijing Government, and also taught at Peking University, Women's Normal University and other schools. In May 1918, he published the first article in the history of modern Chinese literature using the pen name "Lu Xun" for the first time. The vernacular novel "Diary of a Madman" laid the foundation of the New Literature Movement. Before and after the May 4th Movement, he participated in the work of "New Youth" and became a leading figure in the "May 4th" New Culture Movement.
1918 to 1926. During the years, he successively created and published novel collections "Scream" and "Wandering", essay collections "Grave", prose poetry collection "Weeds", essay collections "Morning Flowers Picked at Dusk", essay collections "Hot Wind", "Huagai Collection", "Huagai Collection" Among them, the novella "The True Story of Ah Q" published in December 1921 is an immortal masterpiece in the history of modern Chinese literature. He was wanted by the police and went south to serve as the director of the Chinese Department of Xiamen University. In January 1927, he went to Guangzhou, the then revolutionary center, and served as the academic director of Sun Yat-sen University. In October 1927, he arrived in Shanghai and began to live with his student Xu Guangping. In 1929, his son Zhou Haiying was born. . Since 1930, he has participated in the China Freedom Movement Alliance, the Chinese Left-wing Writers Alliance and the China Civil Rights Protection Alliance, resisting the dictatorship and political persecution of the Kuomintang government. From 1927 to 1936, he created the historical novel collection "New Stories". Most of the works and a large number of essays are collected in "Ji Ji Ji", "San Xian Ji", "Er Xin Ji", "Nan Qian Bei Diao Ji", "Pseudo Free Letter", "Quasi Feng Yue Tan", "Lace Literature" ", "Qie Jie Ting's Essays", "Qie Jie Ting's Essays (Part II)", "Qie Jie Ting's Essays (Part II)", "Ji Wai Ji" and "Ji Wai Ji Supplements" and other special collections, which have a profound impact on Chinese culture. He made great contributions to the cause: he led and supported literary groups such as "Weiming Society" and "Chaohua Society"; he edited "National Newspaper Supplement" [Type B], "Wild Plains", "Yu Si", " "Running", "Grudge", "Translation" and other literary journals; enthusiastically caring for and actively cultivating young authors; vigorously translating foreign progressive literary works and introducing famous domestic and foreign paintings and woodcuts; collecting, researching, and sorting out a large number of classical literature, and editing " "A Brief History of Chinese Novels", "An Outline of the History of Chinese Literature", compiled "Collections of Ji Kang", and compiled "Miscellaneous Records of Old Books from Kuaiji County", "Ancient Novel Records", "Records of Legends of the Tang and Song Dynasties", "Old News Notes on Novels", etc. wait. He died of tuberculosis in Shanghai on October 19, 1936. Tens of thousands of people in Shanghai spontaneously held a public memorial and funeral, and he was buried in Hongqiao Cemetery of All Nations. In 1956, Lu Xun's body was moved to Hongkou Park and Mao Zedong inscribed the rebuilt tomb of Lu Xun. In 1938, "The Complete Works of Lu Xun" (twenty volumes) was published. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Lu Xun's writings and translations have been compiled into "The Complete Works of Lu Xun" (ten volumes), "Collected Translations of Lu Xun" (ten volumes), "Lu Xun's Diary" (two volumes), and "Collected Letters of Lu Xun" , and reprinted many ancient books compiled by Lu Xun. In 1981, "The Complete Works of Lu Xun" (sixteen volumes) was published.
Lu Xun museums and memorial halls have been established in Beijing, Shanghai, Shaoxing, Guangzhou, Xiamen and other places. Dozens of Lu Xun's novels, essays, poems, and essays have been selected into Chinese textbooks for middle and primary schools. The novels "Blessing", "The True Story of Ah Q", "Medicine", etc. have been adapted into movies.
Li Siguang, formerly known as Li Zhongkui, was born into a poor family in Huanggang County, Hubei Province in 1889. He attended a private school taught by his father Li Zhuohou since he was a child. When he was 14 years old, he said goodbye to his parents and came to Wuchang alone to apply for a higher primary school. When filling out the registration form, he mistakenly mistook the name column for the age column and wrote the word "fourteen". Then he had an idea and changed "ten" to "Li", followed by the word "光". He became famous as "Li Siguang".
In 1904, Li Siguang was selected to study in Japan because of his excellent academic performance. He accepted revolutionary ideas in Japan and became the youngest member of the Tongmenghui led by Sun Yat-sen. Sun Yat-sen appreciated Li Siguang's ambition: "You want to be revolutionary at such a young age. It's good and you have ambition." He also gave him eight words: "Study hard and become a national servant."
1910 , Li Siguang returned to China after studying in Japan. After the Wuchang Uprising, he was appointed as a counselor in the Financial Management Department of the Hubei Military Government, and was later elected as the Minister of Industry. After Yuan Shikai came to power, the revolutionaries were marginalized, and Li Siguang left his motherland again to study at the University of Birmingham in England. In 1918, Li Siguang, who received his master's degree, decided to return to serve in China. On the way, in order to understand Russia after the October Revolution, we also stopped by Moscow.
From 1920, Li Siguang served as professor and director of the Department of Geology at Peking University. In 1928, he went to Nanjing to serve as director of the Institute of Geology, Academia Sinica, and was later elected president of the Geological Society of China. He leads students and researchers to travel to the field all year round, traveling through mountains and rivers, and has traveled all over the mountains and rivers of the motherland. He went to Europe and the United States several times to give lectures, attend academic conferences and inspect geological structures.
In the autumn of 1949, when New China was about to be founded, Li Siguang, who was abroad, was invited to serve as a member of the CPPCC. After getting the news, he immediately made preparations to return home. At this time, a friend in London called and told him that the Kuomintang government's ambassador to the UK had received a secret order asking him to make a public statement refusing to accept the position of CPPCC member, otherwise he would be detained. Li Siguang made a quick decision and left London alone for France. Two weeks later, Mrs. Li Xu Shubin received a letter from Li Siguang, saying that he had arrived in Basel, the border between Switzerland and Germany. The couple bought a ferry ticket from Italy to Hong Kong in Basel, and set off secretly to return to China in December 1949.
Li Siguang, who returned to the embrace of New China, was entrusted with important responsibilities and successively served as Minister of Geology, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the National Federation of Science and Technology, and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Although he is old, he is still fighting on the front line of scientific research and national construction, and has made great contributions to my country's geology, oil exploration and construction. In 1958, Li Siguang was introduced to the Communist Party of China by He Changgong and Zhang Jinfu, and became a communist fighter from a national democrat. After the 1960s, Li Siguang's health became worse and worse due to overwork, but he still devoted himself with great enthusiasm and energy to earthquake prediction, forecasting and geothermal utilization. On April 29, 1971, Li Siguang died of illness at the age of 82.