Thomas Alva Edison helped transform America and the world. He registered over one thousand patents before he died in 1931 - and we can thank him for advances in electric power, communications technology, music recording and even the movies. But his biggest breakthrough doesn't get nearly enough attention. 

In many ways, Edison invented modern inventing. Join Business History hosts Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith as they trace the life story of a scrappy young boy with bad hearing who almost singlehandedly invented R&D.