How many light bulbs does it take?
One. And it’s still burning.
This bulb has a pretty impressive history. It’s been illuminating a firehouse in Livermore, CA since 1901. The greenest bulb in the world was made by Shelby Electric Co. who went out of business in 1914. It has become quite a celebrity in its old age, attracting tourists since the 70’s… It even claims an online presence with a website draws about a million visitors a year and features a bulb-cam set up to film it continuously. Livermore firefighters used to swipe it for good luck before leaving on duty and now they don’t dust it for the same reasons. The secret to the bulb’s longevity lies in the fact that it has almost never been turned off in its 107 years and the air-tight seal never let any oxygen in, creating a cold-burning vacuum.
For a full story and facts, check out these links:
LA Times: At 107, Livermore centennial lightbulb is still a real live wire
Official site: Livermore’s Centennial Light
2007 Record: Guinness Book of World Records
Print: Ripley’s Believe it or Not
Wikipedia: Centennial Light
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by Anne Karine
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