The Light Bulb
Introduction
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Army released bacteria in hundred of tests in areas of high
population density throughout the country (Cole, 2009, p. 3). Agents dropped light bulbs
containing the bacteria in the New York subway (Cole, 2009, p. 3). The bacteria used in the tests
posed little risk to the welfare of the public, unlike a possible attack of a biochemical nature
(Cole, 2009, p. 3). The demonstration proved that a terrorist attack potentially could expose
millions of people to harmful organisms by simply using a light bulb (Cole, 2009, p. 3). In 1996,
the light bulb was used again in a similar government-operated experiment (âÂÂAirports and
Subways,â 2006, para. 1). The Special Operations Division of the United States dropped light
bulbs filled with rare, non-pathogenic bacteria to test the vulnerability of New York to a
biological attack (âÂÂAirports and Subways,â 2006, para.
1).
Weeks after dropping the light bulbs in the subways, agents tested for the presence of the
bacteria in various locations across the city (âÂÂAirports and Subways,â 2006, para. 1). The use of
light bulbs was an unusual but effective method for releasing bacteria. The light bulbs used
today are similar to the one Edison invented in the late 19th century, and are seldom regarded as
complex or important technology (âÂÂAirports and Subways,â 2006, para. 1). However, they
proved to be useful in a modern and significant study regarding biological warfare and have
heavily impacted industry and technology since their invention (âÂÂAirports and Subways,â 2006,
para. 1).
Early Development of the Light Bulb
The first light bulb prototype, called the arc lamp, was developed by English chemist
Humphrey Davey (Douglas, n.d., para. 4). The lamp produced an electric arc that emitted light
as the current passed through an ionized gas...