113 Year Old Lightbulb By Rachael

            Something interesting that I learned in class this week was about the 113 year old lightbulb. There is a light bulb in Livermore, California that has burned for 113 years. This lightbulb is known as the centennial light or eternal light. The bulb is hanging in a firehouse in California and it’s burned for 989,000 hours.

It was first installed in 1901 at a firehouse in California. It’s rarely been turned off since it was first installed and it is a mystery why it’s lasted as long as it did. This lightbulb is a Shelby bulb. Shelby lightbulbs used to be very popular back in the day and they burned the longest.

No one is quite sure why the bulb is still going but there is many ideas. Some people say it’s because things are made with more care than they used to be. Others are saying it’s because the filament is eight times thicker than it needs to be. Others just say it’s a fluke.

            Since it was installed it has been turned off a couple of times. It was turned off for about a week during remodels to the fire station. The next time it turned off they were moving it to the new station. They got it to turn back on pretty quick. Then one of the more recent times it turned off it was because the bulb lost its power source, but they fixed it. Now the bulb is under surveillance so they can see when it turns off for good. No one wants the bulb to go out.

            This lightbulb has burned for 989,000 hours and probably more by now. The bulb has outlived three surveillance cameras and its own power source. It was confirmed that it was the oldest burning bulb in the world by Guinness World Records.

            Right now the bulb is still burning. It only gives off about four watts of light but it’s a miracle that it’s still going.

Questions:

What do you think is making the bulb last so long?

Could it be a fluke?