Philo Farnsworth

Philo Farnsworth was an American inventor. He was born in Beaver, Utah, in 1906. He invented the first fully electronic television system. He came up with the idea as a teenager while plowing a field.

Early Life

Farnsworth grew up on a farm in Idaho. He loved reading science magazines. At age 14, he got the idea for electronic television while looking at rows in a plowed field. He sketched his idea for a high school teacher.

Big Achievements

Farnsworth demonstrated his electronic television in 1927 at age 21. The first image was a simple line. He later transmitted a dollar sign to show it could work. He fought legal battles against bigger companies who tried to claim his invention. He held over 300 patents.

Fun Facts

• Farnsworth got his TV idea at age 14 by looking at the rows in a plowed field.
• The first image transmitted was a simple straight line.
• He demonstrated TV to his investors by transmitting a dollar sign.

Did You Know?

Farnsworth was disappointed by what television became. He thought it would be used mostly for education. But his son said that when they watched the Moon landing on TV in 1969, Farnsworth said, 'This makes it all worthwhile.'