Did You Know? There’s a Lightbulb That’s Been Burning for Over 120 Years!

Hey, did you ever stop to think about how often we replace lightbulbs? It feels like they burn out all the time, right? Well, prepare to have your mind a little bit blown, because there’s actually a lightbulb out there that has been continuously lit for over 120 years! Seriously!

It’s called the Centennial Bulb, and it lives in a fire station in Livermore, California. It was first screwed in back in 1901 – yep, that’s before both World Wars, the invention of cars as we know them, television, and even the widespread use of electricity itself!

This isn’t just a quirky antique; it’s practically a legend in the world of engineering and electricity. While most modern incandescent bulbs are designed to last maybe 1,000 to 2,000 hours, this little guy has racked up over 1 million hours of glowing service. It’s powered by a carbon filament (unlike the tungsten filaments in most bulbs today) and runs at a very low wattage (around 4 watts, compared to its original 30 or 60 watts), which definitely helps, but still!

People are so fascinated by it that there’s even a 24/7 webcam pointed at it! It’s gone out a few times over the decades, mainly due to power outages or being moved, but it always gets turned back on. It’s a real testament to early craftsmanship and perhaps a little bit of mystery as to why it’s lasted so incredibly long when others just… don’t. It really makes you wonder about planned obsolescence and the incredible potential of old-school tech, doesn’t it?