didn't they feature this on Mythbusters a while back?

speaking of which, when are they ever going to bust some famous masturbation myths?

you know, blindness, harry palms, low sperm count etc...

There must have been other bulbs built by that company during the same years - how long did they burn???

@B1663R: Been watching a bit too much robot chicken have we?

Wait a minute...so no blackouts, power shortages can kill this thing? Or do they have a convenient generator that never happens to fail?

@Groggy Banana: Given it's a firehouse, I'm guessing they have a generator to power certain things that need to stay powered like lights and the such.

Sure it lasts forever but its brightness is weak. I think its time for LED bulbs. No more filaments or burning mercury, lets go diode!

@Git Em SteveDave:
But for 107 years? They're hiding something. I suggest a Psystar-like report on this.

@Groggy Banana: With every story there is a bit of myth mixed up in fact. Likely there have been short outages, even with a generator, but who cares ? It doesn't diminish the marvel.

Wait, so 107 years ago they were able to make bulbs with a perfect seal, then what happened?

Capitalism happened. Can't have products operating reliably for 100+ years. That's how you get paid - on the come-back!

@Prosumerist: Agreed, the calculation of a "reasonable" lifespan for every product we buy and the use of materials to fit this length of time keeps consumers from having any contemporary products that last this long.

On the plus side, if capitalism hadn't happened, we'd all still be using those bulbs, on the down side our new low wattage bulbs are shaped weird, last about 100 years less and cost $10 each.

@Groggy Banana: Actually if you read the story off Time's website they actually have a generator and battery backup as well as a surge protector for the bulb. I understand the symbolism and importance...but wow people that's crazy.

I knew a professor at my university that LOVED light bulbs and he claimed to have bulbs that were from the 1800s and still worked. I never saw one first hand, but he didn't seem like the type to lie about it...

Exactly, a bulb like this hasn't made its manufacturer any money. It was probably what, 20 cents back then? That company made 20 cents in over a hundred years... nice.

Same with batteries. Ever wonder why we're still using the same old AA batteries we were 20 years ago?

$$$$$

The dark side of capitalism has us all in its grips.

my name is. Livermore, maybe I'll last for 107 years.

Hey companies: make solid, well-built, long-lasting products... and I will pay more for them! But not three times as much. I'm not made out of money you know.

I live in Livermore! I was surprised to see mention of my city on this site. How many people actually already knew Livermore existed? Be honest.

'states the case for leaving the lights on...'??? No it states the case for putting very very low wattage through a bulb with a big thick filament. Like 2 watts or something, and the filament is the size of your pinkie. The thing is more of a glorified space heater. If you ran similar current through a regular bulb you'd get similar lifespan. And yes, mythbusters did feature this bulb:

[video.google.com]

about halfway through the episode...

Hey, this bulb has 4W.
Of course it last so long, but it is useless.

Capitalism brings you actual use-full light. You know, for reading and for nightly "is there still shit on my toilet paper, or is my ass actually clean?".
Clean asses demand more light. More light in same package; hot burning stuff, that needs more replaces.

@B1663R: What, watching Adam take a leak on an electric fence wasn't good enough for you?

107 years and not a single power outage? I think that power company is more impressive then the bulb, or they just probably forgot to mention the power outages.

Yeah, those commies from 107 years ago sure knew how to make light bulbs...

In Soviet Russia, light-bulb changes you!

@Ramune:
I'm betting anyone that has heard of LLNL, knows about Livermore.

;-)

@Ramune: I'd heard of this bulb on TV before...no joke.

@twreckx: What happened? Look at your "Made in [Country]" labels...

[en.wikipedia.org]

YES, it was featured on MythBusters, but only for a myth that leaving lights on saves energy. Not for this light specifically.

Sorry for the double post peeps!

We need an edit button BAAAD.

@Groggy Banana: Well, they did state they moved it in 1979, so I'm guessing it can turn off, they just don't.

BTW, the bulb has it's own webcam so you can see what it's up too.

www.centennialbulb.org/cam.htm

[www.centennialbulb.org]

@TheManator: So true on the edit button.

The Story of Stuff has a nice way of putting it - they make sure it breaks fast so we replace often. Most everything (even buildings) are just thrown together - we're a disposable society...

@twreckx: Then people thought about making profit.

I had a collection of antique light bulbs on display in
Sacramento a few years ago when a man excitedly told
me that he has a whole box of these bulbs----
He was a fireman in Livermore!

Bob

@Git Em SteveDave: Everyone check it out from 2 am to 5 am -- this is the time that the bulb shows off it's exhibitionist show...it's called "Dimming the Light".

@Ramune
I know where livermore is! I live in Stockton!

I'd attribute one of the only reasons for that thing burning that long is the thickness of the filament. How is anything that thick supposed to break under the circumstances?!

@Groggy Banana: I was wondering the same. It's not the longevity of the bulb that amazes me, but the fact that there's a place in North America that didn't have any power shortage for 107 years.

A guy built a car that could last 107 years once. He is still missing.

@Git Em SteveDave: Doesn't seem to be working... not for me anyway. They don't build web cams they way they did in Granddad's day!

@TheManator: Well, something more amazing I learned from your wikilink is that the bulb was made literally 30 minutes away from my home in Shelby, Ohio.
Cali is a long-ass trip for a lightbulb...

107 years is impressive. However it is possible to get this kind of lifetime out of modern incandescent lamps if you run them under their rated voltage. This does assume you have an uninterrupted powersupply, as the thermal shock from switching the lamp on and off considerably shortens the lifespan.

@B1663R: I'd chance it to say that some guys would never bother looking for relationships if their palms suddenly grew hair. There's a world of wonderous horrors in the heart of man.

That guy is just giving that bulb the sexiest stare ever. She's going home with him tonight!

@Groggy Banana: yep they're hiding something: A giant Queen Worm that shoots a tasty addictive green ooze out of it's rear for marketing purposes_

This bulb operates in a vacuum and it doesn't burn hot.

Sure the filament is only glowing red/orange, but it's not hot - go ahead and touch it !

@Messer:
The opposite.
It is a look of spiritual bliss....
Tom has seen the Light !

Yet another proof that company's don't want to manufacture forever lasting products. When everyone got everlasting lightbulbs who shal buy new one's then?

As others have said, those old bulbs had impressively thick filaments (about as thick as a pipe-cleaner), and they don't burn bright, they just glow red-yellow. If you ever get to see one in person (like in a museum), you'll see exactly what I mean. There's no magic to this thing at all.

Does it go without saying that their web site ([www.centennialbulb.org]) is down? Ironic, I guess.