This day in history

In the first public demonstration of his incandescent light bulb, American inventor Thomas Edison lights up a street in Menlo Park, New Jersey, U.S.A.

Although the first incandescent lamp had been produced 40 years earlier, no inventor had been able to come up with a practical design until Edison embraced the challenge in the late 1870s. After countless tests, he developed a high-resistance carbon-thread filament that burned steadily for hours and an electric generator sophisticated enough to power a large lighting system.

One of the most prolific inventors in history, Edison acquired a record 1,093 patents in his lifetime and laid the basis for the modern electric world.

8 bombs explode in the Thai capital of Bangkok as the city gets ready to celebrate the New Year.

Ottawa is chosen to be the capital of Canada by Queen Victoria.