Part 4/11:
Incandescent light bulbs operate using a filament that, when heated, produces light through incandescence. Early bulbs could not sustain prolonged use because the filaments tended to melt or get consumed by oxygen in the air. It wasn't until manufacturers discovered tungsten, which has a high melting point, that truly efficient light bulbs began to emerge.
Despite these advancements, providing a brighter light inherently meant running filaments at higher temperatures, leading to an accelerated burn-out rate. Essentially, achieving a brighter light for customers resulted in shorter bulb life—a reality both engineers and manufacturers understood.