LED lights seeing their time in the sun

In 2007, federal authorities called time on incandescent bulbs with passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act. Thomas Edison’s notion of a wire glowing in a vacuum — which produces more heat than light — was superseded by compact fluorescent bulbs. But consumers were unhappy that CFLs give a cold light and can't easily be dimmed. Commercial building managers' heads were turned by the prospect of LEDs that last tens of thousands of hours. Changing light bulbs is a major headache in lobbies and offices, and closing off public spaces to send someone around on a cherry picker can get expensive.