Thomas Edison, known as the "Wizard of Menlo Park," held a world record of 1,093 patents despite being partially deaf. Among his groundbreaking inventions were the duplex telegraph and the light bulb, which he developed with financial backing from J.P. Morgan and the Vanderbilt family. Edison personally oversaw the installation of the world's first permanent commercial central power system in Manhattan, which began operating in September 1882.
Edison's patents were prolific and varied, including 389 for electric light and power, 195 for the phonograph, 150 for the telegraph, 141 for storage batteries, and 34 for the telephone.
