TIL The name "flashlight" came from the first lights that could only briefly illuminate because the batteries couldn’t hold a charge for long periods of time
David Misell, an English inventor, invented the first flashlight and patented it in 1899. It used three D batteries in a tube that was used as the handle of the device. The batteries supplied enough power to create light through an incandescent bulb.
The name “flash” light was a knock on the reliability of the model. These units could not be left on for long because of the zinc-carbon batteries that couldn’t hold an electrical current for long periods of time, thus creating only a “flash” of light.
These early flashlights were nothing more than a novelty at the time. The batteries were inefficient, and the bulbs were dull. Improvements of the batteries and bulbs by Eveready and others started to increase the popularity of flashlights by the second decade of the 1900s.
I just call it a torch, which I think is etymologically related to the flaming things.
Oi, how's it, gov'na?
Oi lemme see your torch loicense
U did WOT m8?
Related fun fact: The "Fleshlight" got it's name because it kind of looks like one of those things mentioned above!
something something can't hold a charge for a long period of time
Not if you don't want bacteria or mold to grow in it.
The thing I was surprised to learn was the D batteries were a thing back then.
You’d be surprised at how much old technology is still used in parts of our electrical devices and electronics
The other kind of flashlight also takes the D
TIL ops mom is a flashlight
According to Wikipedia it was introduced in 1898, so the flashlight was invented almost immediately after. I guess it's the natural next step when you have light bulbs and batteries.
Even AA batteries have been around for about a century now, and I think even button cells like CR2032 have been around since the 60's. These standards are ancient.
The 1900s were a decade. It also takes longer to say that than "the 1910s".
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