The light of conventional incandescent lamps, which celebrated their 130th anniversary in 2009, is generated by heating a coiled tungsten inside the bulb.
Since this process converts energy mainly into heat rather than light, the European Union decided to gradually abolish incandescent lamps by 2015 and substitute them by energy saving lamps.
Pear- or candle-shaped bulbs, reflector lamps, and many other special shapes are among these standard or all-purpose light bulbs.