Fifty Years Ago, A Bright Idea

NPR | Oct. 12, 2012 10:45 a.m.

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In October 1962, Nick Holonyak and colleagues at General Electric built the first practical light-emitting diode, or LED, that could emit visible light. Semiconductor LEDs are now a part of uncountable electronic devices. Holonyak discusses the invention, and his work since then.