In 1875, when Thomas Edison was just 28 years old, he was invited to write for the Cyclopædia of Applied Mechanics—a massive book filled with real inventions and how they work. Look closely at the image—his name is circled, proof of his place among serious inventors. He was much more than just another businessman. Edison wrote about the telegraph, a machine that sent messages using electricity and clicking sounds.
To be published in this book meant something big: other inventors now trusted Edison’s work. He was no longer just a boy with gadgets—he had become a respected builder of ideas. That reminded me of writing a dissertation. It was a license to practice professionally.
Edison reached this milestone by asking bold questions, testing new ideas, and learning from failure. When one invention failed, he asked, What went wrong?—and tried again. He learned from his mistakes.
This is how science grows—not just from facts, but from awe, wonder, and the thrill of discovering how the world works.
What did you wonder about today?