Thomas Edison was an American inventor and businessman who developed many groundbreaking technologies including the phonograph, the first long-lasting light bulb, and early motion picture cameras. He conducted research and experiments at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, where he and his team developed these and over a thousand other patents. Edison's inventions helped drive major industrial changes in the late 19th century and early 20th century with his pioneering work in telecommunications, electrical power, and motion pictures.