National Inventors' Day

February 11 is National Inventors' Day, created by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, to honor the birth anniversary of Thomas Edison.

Described in President Reagan's proclamation as "one of America's most famous and prolific inventors," Edison patented over 1,000 inventions, including the phonograph, electric light bulb and motion picture camera.

Edison once said, "There's a way to do it better— find it." The Genius at Work biographies share the inspiring stories of inventors like Les Paul, George Ferris and Ralph Baer.

Unfortunately, not every idea can be a winner. Take a look at the more human side of inventing by reading Edison's Concrete Piano, which details the flops of some famous inventors. Children looking to put Edison to the test should experiment with Thomas Edison for Kids: 21 Activities.

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