One of the biggest recent changes in the world of lighting is the transition towards increasingly efficient and long-lasting LED light bulbs being used in luxury desk lamps.
With halogen light bulbs no longer available for sale, most people have energy-efficient LED bulbs that can last up to five years of constant use.
This is impressive, given the average length of a halogen light bulb is at most six months.
However, the impressive longevity of the average light bulb pales in comparison to a light bulb that has been working almost completely interrupted for well over a century.
The Centennial Light was originally fitted in 1901 and used a carbon filament technology that even at the time was seen as outdated. The bulb was hand blown and invented by Adolphe Chaillet, whilst the manufacture was handled by the Shelby Electric Company.
Interestingly, despite being considered to be inferior technology compared to the tungsten filament bulbs on the horizon, there are several examples of Mr Chaillet’s bulbs that are still working to this day, outliving the sale of halogen light bulbs themselves.
It was originally donated to the Fire Department of Livermore, California by Dennis Bernal in 1901 as a gift to them when he sold the Livermore Power and Water Company.
Originally hung on L Street in a house that held the hose cart, it was moved to a downtown garage that was shared by both the fire department and the police, before being moved again to City Hall, which would be the home of the fire department in the city.
By 1972, reporters had started to notice that the bulb had lasted for 71 years, which was listed as a world record soon after, beating a bulb that was based in Fort Worth, Texas.
It was moved to an uninterruptible power supply in 1976 and has only been off once, due to a bypassed power supply that was feared to have been the bulb burning out.