Thomas Edison was an American inventor who was born in 1847 in Ohio. Some of his most famous inventions included the phonograph, which recorded sound, and the first practical incandescent light bulb. He also invented the motion picture camera, stock ticker, and typewriter. Although he had little formal education, he was a prolific inventor who held over 1,000 patents by the time of his death in 1931 at the age of 84. He left a significant impact on the world and helped shape modern technology.