Thomas Edison 164th birthday marked by Google Doodle: 10 things you need to know about the American inventor
1. Born in Ohio in 1847, Thomas Alva Edison was an inventor, scientist and businessman.
2. Dubbed 'The Wizard of Menlo Park', he invented the phonograph, motion picture camera and electric light bulb.
3. He held patents across the globe for his many inventions, including more than 1,000 in the US.
4. His entrepreneurial ventures began with him selling sweets and vegetables on trains, and later vegetables.
5. He went on to found 14 companies, including General Electric.
6. He once saved a three-year-old boy from being struck by a runaway train.
7. He was fired from his job at Western Union for accidentally spilling sulphuric acid onto his boss' desk.
8. He has a town (in New Jersey, US) and three bridges (all in the US) named after him
9. He married twice and had six children.
10. He died aged 84 in New Jersey.
