Who would have thought that a lightbulb would be one of the most reliable and consistent things across the last century, yet what many people have come to call the 'Centennial Bulb' has remained (mostly) alight for over 124 years now.
Technology moves at such a rapid pace, especially over the last 30 years or so, that it's understandable for older things to become redundant and become replaced by newer tools.
We're even in an age of technology when people are starting to be replaced by AI, and that's why it remains such a shock that one simple device has managed to survive for such a long period of time despite experiencing constant change around it.
As reported by SlashGear, the tale of the world's oldest lightbulb is a fascinating one and not only simply because of its age, as it has even become a tourist attraction with fans flocking from all around the world to observe its relatively dim light.
Advert
Located within an otherwise normal fire station in California, the Centennial Bulb was first installed by the Shelby Electric Company in 1901, and remains as simple and efficient as a bulb dangling from a wire can truly be.
The 'catch' is that it hasn't technically remained on from the moment it was installed, as it has been temporarily turned off when it has had to move buildings, which is an inevitable consequence of being this old in a rapidly evolving world.
It even has its own website that feels almost as old as the bulb itself, complete with a live cam feed of the light within the Livermore, California fire station if watching a light hang in a static room is your idea of entertainment!
If you're wondering how exactly it has managed to live for so long when even the most advanced smart bulbs these days boast just a quarter of its lifespan, many speculate that it's down to the outer glass construction and its relatively low-power draw.
It has a hand-blown glass outer shell that's particularly thick, giving it a greater sense of durability that has likely allowed it to last for over 100 years, and the actual light inside burns with a comparatively measly 4 watts, giving off little light but allowing it to remain alight for such a long time.
It has been roughly 45,067 days since the start of 1901, so that works out to roughly 4,326.37 kWh of power used across its 124 year existence, which based on California's current kWh cost of 12 cents, means that it 'only' costs $51,916.46 to run, and of course that price will have been far lower for the majority of its lifespan.
Who knows quite how long it has left, yet it continues to defy expectation with no signs of slowing down or burning out any time soon. "It is pretty cool that the bulb has not been changed since 1901," writes one comment on Reddit. "I wonder if it will continue to work in 100 years from now."
Many others add that "they don't make 'em like they used to," and while it'll definitely evoke some sense of yearning for the past, other comments note that the Centennial Bulb does cost far more to run than a modern light at a fraction of the brightness, so maybe its duration does come at a cost.