If all that Edison did was perfect artificial light, he would have undoubtedly changed the course of sleep history. But he didn’t stop there. Not quite satisfied with remaking how we experience night, Edison also had a singular role in revolutionizing entertainment. He perfected the phonograph and later developed one of the first motion-picture cameras. Through these inventions, Edison created an utterly new experience: watching or listening to a person who wasn’t live in front of you. Paying customers could now see the performances of boxers and orchestras that were recorded, creating a democratic world of celebrity where everyone with a nickel could see or hear world-class entertainment. The best performers in the world were taken out of exhibition halls and available in the living room.