Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Joseph Swan
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
Swan, Joseph lightbulb: Ediswan Joseph Swan, pencil drawing by M. Agnes Cohen, 1894; in the National Portrait Gallery, London
Quizzes
Michael Faraday (L) English physicist and chemist (electromagnetism) and John Frederic Daniell (R) British chemist and meteorologist who invented the Daniell cell.
Faces of Science
ball bearing. Disassembled ball bearing. rotational friction Automobile Industry, Engineering, Industry, Machine Part, Metal Industry, Sphere, Steel, Wheel
Inventors and Inventions
Italian-born physicist Dr. Enrico Fermi draws a diagram at a blackboard with mathematical equations. circa 1950.
Physics and Natural Law
Related Questions
Read Next
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Highway Night Traffic Portland, drive, driving, car, automobile.
What's the Difference Between Speed and Velocity?
Chemical equations Chemical reactions chemistry
How Do You Balance a Chemical Equation?
Illustration of molecules. (molecular, chemistry, science)
Why Is a Group of Molecules Called a Mole?
Abstract vector hi speed internet technology background
History of Technology Timeline
Discover
NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting.
10 Great Sports Rivalries
Queen Elizabeth II addresses at opening of Parliament. (Date unknown on photo, but may be 1958, the first time the opening of Parliament was filmed.)
All 119 References in “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Explained
Submerged sperm whale off east Sri Lanka coast, mammal
How Did the Sperm Whale Get Its Name?
All Saints Day. All Souls Day. Candles in cemetery in Poland on All Saints Day, November 1. All Souls Day, November 2. Christian church, All Hallows, Solemnity of All Saints, Feast of All Saints, purgatory, Roman Catholic church
7 Unique Burial Rituals Across the World
Illustration for Demystified "How Dangerous is Quicksand"
How Deadly Is Quicksand?
Flags of the countries of the world (flagpoles).
How Many Countries Are There in the World?
Figure 13: A Maxim machine gun, belt-fed and water-cooled, operated by German infantrymen, World War I.
7 Deadliest Weapons in History

Joseph Swan: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/Joseph-Wilson-Swan
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As Sir Joseph Wilson Swan
Born October 31, 1828 • Sunderland • England
Died May 27, 1914 (aged 85) • England
Inventions dry plate • incandescent lamp

Photos

Swan, Joseph
lightbulb: Ediswan
Joseph Swan, pencil drawing by M. Agnes Cohen, 1894; in the National Portrait Gallery, London
See All Images →
British chemist and physicist James Dewar
Sir James Dewar
British scientist
Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford
British physicist
Joseph Black, detail of an engraving by J. Rogers after a portrait by Sir Henry Raeburn
Joseph Black
British scientist
Sir Humphry Davy
Sir Humphry Davy
British chemist
John Dalton
John Dalton
British scientist
James Lovelock
James Lovelock
English chemist, doctor, and author
Venki Ramakrishnan
Indian-born physicist and molecular biologist
Francis William Aston.
Francis William Aston
British physicist and chemist
Sir John A. Pople
British mathematician and chemist
Crookes
Sir William Crookes
British chemist
Daniell, John Frederic
John Frederic Daniell
British chemist
Nicholson, William
William Nicholson
English chemist and inventor
Alexander Parkes
British chemist
Charles Wheatstone.
Sir Charles Wheatstone
British physicist
Frederick Augustus Abel, engraving.
Sir Frederick Augustus Abel
British chemist
Thomas Andrews.
Thomas Andrews
Irish chemist and physicist
Edward Davy
British inventor
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday
British physicist and chemist
Galileo
Galileo
Italian philosopher, astronomer and mathematician
Cavendish, Henry
Henry Cavendish
British physicist

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Michael Faraday (L) English physicist and chemist (electromagnetism) and John Frederic Daniell (R) British chemist and meteorologist who invented the Daniell cell.
Faces of Science
ball bearing. Disassembled ball bearing. rotational friction Automobile Industry, Engineering, Industry, Machine Part, Metal Industry, Sphere, Steel, Wheel
Inventors and Inventions
Michael Faraday (L) English physicist and chemist (electromagnetism) and John Frederic Daniell (R) British chemist and meteorologist who invented the Daniell cell.
Faces of Science
Italian-born physicist Dr. Enrico Fermi draws a diagram at a blackboard with mathematical equations. circa 1950.
Physics and Natural Law
List
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution