Results of the Big Contest for the Best Invention: The Light Bulb, the Airplane or the Theory of Relativity?

We were pleased with the over 150 national entries we received; and the variety of thoughts on the question. The great bulk of the submissions favored the light bulb; with about 5-10% for the airplane and but a few for the theory of relativity. It is after all what our readers thought.

The winners and prizes awarded are:

First Place $100 Noah Kurzenhauser


Second Place $50 Jonathan Leach


Third Place $25 Randy Ohman

In addition, we decided to award two honorable mention prizes as well:

Honorable Mention $15 Valeria Pasuizacca


Honorable Mention $15 Brandon Nguyen

One particular entry prompted our judges to issue a special award for creativity:

Special Award $75 David Nassar

David’s entry was an ingenious poem which we have reproduced below-

The airplane, the light bulb or relativity

Which is the greatest mark of ingenuity?

First consider the airplane- two brothers so Wright

They invented a vehicle capable of flight

People called them dreamers, and dreamers they were

In Kitty Hawk, they flew in the air like the birds

Next consider relativity- an Einstein to find

That distance and space is related to time

Twin paradoxes, bending space, and even GPS

Relativity explained; mysteries put to rest

Finally, the lightbulb, a bright idea clearly!

I contest it is greater than planes or relativity theory

Relativity claims nothing is faster than light

And without the lightbulb, there’d be no such insight

Einstein’s theory relied on an experiment of his mind

“What if two lights were turned on, what’s the answer he’d find?”

Now when considering the classic question, ” ‘light’ or flight?”

Consider where the airplane would be in the night

Airport runways and red-eyes could never be handled

By rows upon rows of wax-based candles

So of the three inventions one is greater than two

And for this Thomas Edison, we are grateful to you.

Thanks to all who participated! Be on the look-out for upcoming contests.

Thomas Edison said, “I find out what the world needs. Then I go ahead and try to invent it.”

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