Theodore Gray, co-founder of Wolfram Research, Inc makers of Mathematica, wrote up an amazing article on making your own light bulb. The project is quick and simple, but a little pricey:

• Element: Tungsten
• Time: 30 minutes
• Cost: Roughly $50

Edison’s first mistake was living before tungsten wire was available. Tungsten is way better than carbon as a filament material, and now you can find it in any metal-supply shop… His second mistake, repeated in classroom physics demonstrations to this day, was using a vacuum to get the air out of the bulb…