Edison tops Jobs as world's greatest innovator

A group of 1,000 young people consider the world's greatest innovator to be Thomas Edison, whose crowning left the late Steve Jobs in second place.

Edison, the creator of the light bulb and phonograph, among many other inventions, earned the top title among 52 percent of those polled by Lemelson-MIT, a program that tries to honor inventors who have improved our lives and gauge peoples' perceptions about innovation.

Often lauded for his spirit of creativity, especially following his death, Jobs took second place with 24 percent citing him as the greatest innovator of all time.

The results surprised the researchers at Lemelson-MIT since the survey was aimed at people in the U.S. from 16 to 25 years old, an age group considered part of the "Apple generation." In fact, when asked how smartphones and tablets influence their lives, 40 percent of those polled said they couldn't imagine their lives without such devices.

In a further nod to past innovators, those polled put Alexander Graham Bell in third place for his invention of the phone, followed by Marie Curie for her work in the field of radioactivity.

Now in its 16th year, the latest Lemelson-MIT Invention Index polled 1,010 people altogether between December 9 and 15 of last year.