As the architect of modern industrial civilization, Thomas Edison secures the top spot with a staggering 1,093 U.S. patents. Interestingly, only about 12% of his inventions achieved widespread commercial application, yet his refinements to the light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera permanently accelerated the pace of human life. If Tesla represents the depth of revolutionary science, Edison represents the power of commercial execution in translating technology into universal commodities. Beyond any single device, Edison's greatest achievement was establishing the world's first industrial research laboratory, a model that remains the operational bedrock for Silicon Valley giants today.