We commonly use the term electricity to describe the energy that flows out of our wall units to power our appliances. However, in its most basic form, electricity is not just something that flows through cables but is the name of the energy that results from the behavior of charged particles like electrons and protons.
In that sense, it is fair to say that electricity cannot be “invented,” as it is an integral part of our universe. That said, several bright minds in the past discovered electricity and its effects and invented ways to harness this energy to our benefit.
Early Understanding of Electricity
You have probably noticed a tiny sting from static electricity when you get out of the car wearing a winter jacket and touch the door. Similarly, numerous people over ages have witnessed and pondered over the electrical properties of objects. However, only a few people recorded their experiences and observations. Here are a few examples:
Ancient Observations
The earliest known human observation of electricity is by the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus. Around 600 BC, Thales observed that when rubbed, amber attracts feathers and other lightweight materials.
Early Experiments
After Thales, there are no mentionable recordings of electrical experiments for almost a thousand years. Then, in 1600, an Englishman named William Gilbert observed and wrote about the electrical properties of several objects. We credit Gilbert with coining the term “electricity” and being the first to differentiate between magnetism and electricity.
About a century later, in 1729, English astronomer Stephen Gray distinguished between conductors and non-conductors of electricity, laying the foundation for material sciences in the electrical sector.
Not long after that, a German cleric called Ewald Georg von Kleist built what is considered the world’s first capacitor — a device that can store electricity for short periods. Around the same time, a Dutch instrument maker called Pieter van Musschenbroek also built a bottle-based capacitor similar to Kleist’s. Today, nearly every electronic device uses capacitors.
Key Contributors To Electrical Science
From the 18th century, studies and advancements in electricity started speeding up, leading to remarkable innovations within just two centuries. Below are some of the most noteworthy contributors to electrical science from the past few centuries.
Benjamin Franklin
As a polymath and founding father of the U.S., Benjamin Franklin has numerous memorable stories to his name. However, the most popular story about Franklin is probably the electrical experiment of flying a kite in a thunderstorm to draw electricity from the sky.
Franklin tied a conducting wire at the top of the kite, which he flew using a wet hemp string that was ready to conduct current. He tied a key to the string and soon witnessed a spark jump from the key onto his knuckle. With this experiment, Franklin demonstrated that lightning is electrical in nature.
He also went on to invent the lightning rod, also known as the lightning arrestor, which in its modern forms is used worldwide to protect buildings and ships from lightning strikes.
Alessandro Volta
Alessandro Volta, an Italian physicist, is credited with inventing the first battery. He stacked alternating discs of zinc and silver (or copper) separated by a cloth soaked in brine. As the metals and the brine came into contact, a chemical reaction occurred, resulting in a steady current flow when terminals were attached to both ends of the pile.
Known as the voltaic pile, Volta’s battery gained widespread recognition, and inventors employed the battery for further discoveries and inventions in the electrical sector. In recognition of Alessandro Volta’s work, the unit of potential difference, a “volt,” is named after him.
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday is to electromagnetism what Volta is to electrochemistry. Among other important discoveries, Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction, which is the effect of electric current on magnets and vice versa. Today, electromagnetism applies to the vast majority of electronic appliances. Despite having virtually no formal education, Faraday is one of the greatest figures in both electrical science and chemistry.
Thomas Edison
With over a thousand patents, Thomas Edison is arguably one of the most prolific inventors in modern human history. Edison perfected the incandescent light bulb, which went on to replace old oil lamps and candles. Soon after that, he also developed and patented the electrical distribution system, which could deliver electric power from one point to another.
Nikola Tesla
A contemporary and rival of Edison, Nikola Tesla is an iconic figure in the world of physics. Tesla invented the alternating current system, which vastly improved electrical distribution by drastically reducing transmission losses. Today, every transmission system in the world uses alternating current.
Today, Tesla is known for several other noteworthy inventions, including three-phase electricity, the induction motor, hydroelectric power, radio waves and more.
Timeline of Major Electrical Discoveries
Here is an overview of all the major electrical discoveries over the past centuries:
Ancient Times to 1600s
- 600 BC: Thales of Miletus observes static electricity by rubbing amber.
- 1600 BC: William Gilbert coins the terms electricity, electric force, magnetic pole and electric attraction.
- 1660: Otto van Guericke invents a machine that produces static electricity; Robert Boyle discovers electrical transmission through a vacuum and observes attraction and repulsion.
- 1675: Stephen Gray distinguishes between conductors and non-conductors.
1700s Breakthroughs
- 1745-46: Georg von Kleist and Pieter von Musschenbroek independently invent the capacitor.
- 1752: Benjamin Franklin demonstrates the electrical nature of lightning by flying a kite in a storm with a key tied to its string.
1800s Innovations
- 1800: Alessandro Volta invents the Voltaic Pile — the first electric battery.
- 1808: Sir Humphry Davy invents the first electric lamp.
- 1821: Michael Faraday discovers electromagnetic rotation.
- 1837: Thomas Davenport invents the electric motor.
- 1844: Samuel Morse invents the electric telegraph.
- 1880: Thomas Edison invents an incandescent bulb that can last 1,200 hours.
- 1882: Thomas Edison opens the Pearl Street Power Station.
- 1884: Nikola Tesla invents the alternator and thus alternating current.
- 1901: The world’s first proper power line opens at Niagara Falls.
- 1950: Nearly all American farms receive electricity.
Modern Developments
Over the past hundred or so years, scientists, institutions and businesses have greatly improved existing electrical technologies while also inventing numerous modern systems and devices. Here are some of the major developments of the past century:
- High-efficiency solar panels
- Microgrids and smart grids
- Electric vehicles
- Wireless power transmission
- Commercially viable supercapacitors
The Development of Commercial Electricity
Multiple centuries passed between the discovery of electricity and its use as a commercial utility. Below are some important milestones in the development of commercial electricity.
Early Power Systems
The first person to commercially sell electricity was Thomas Edison. He built the world’s first transmission line in the late 1800s. Edison’s Pearl Street Power Station provided the first electric light to Wall Street financiers and the New York Times.
Around the same time, Willamette Falls Electric in Oregon City built the world’s first high-tension AC transmission line to Portland.
Grid Development
With the addition of power stations and transmission lines all over the country, the American electric grid was born—a gigantic network of thousands of miles of transmission cables, numerous substations, distribution centers, etc. Today, the country’s electricity grid is sometimes also referred to as one of the largest machines in the world.
Modern Infrastructure
Like all other technologies, electrical infrastructure has undergone significant advancements. Grid equipment is now more efficient and durable, although in many places aging infrastructure still exists, causing woes of power losses and power failures in the events of natural disasters or human accidents. Nevertheless, modern solutions such as smart grids are greatly improving the power infrastructure nationwide.
Scientific Principles Behind Electricity
Although early observers thought of electricity as some mysterious force, we now know that the excitement and movement of charged subatomic particles like electrons and protons causes electricity. Here are some key scientific concepts in electricity:
Static Electricity
As the name suggests, static electricity is the presence of a stationary electric charge in an object. In other words, an imbalance in the overall charge on or in an object creates an electrical field around it.
Current Electricity
An electric current is said to flow through an object when charged particles are moving through it. For example, electrons move through a wire, causing a current flow.
Electromagnetic Theory
Electromagnetism deals with the interaction between electrical and magnetic fields. A current-carrying conductor deflects and even causes a magnetic field around it. Similarly, magnetic fields can affect electrical fields in their vicinity. Electromagnetism has a huge number of technological applications.
Impact on Modern Society
We can safely say that modern society would look completely different without the discovery of electricity. The invention of electrical systems resulted in the Industrial Revolution, which gave birth to almost all the modern conveniences and comforts we enjoy today.
Electricity also plays an important role in health and safety. A host of medical equipment and surgical procedures would be impossible without electrical power. Electricity has also improved countless other sectors like transportation, security, etc.
The Future of Electrical Innovation
Thanks to constant research and development worldwide, the future of electricity is promising. In the near future, we can expect intelligent grids and cleaner, more reliable energy. Electrical systems will soon also use futuristic tools such as the Internet of Things, where different equipment can communicate with each other and significantly optimize power generation and supply.
Final Thoughts
Electricity has existed in our universe since its birth, and humans may have discovered it quite recently. However, constant experimentation and innovation by curious individuals over the centuries have led us to a society with robust electrical systems that have advanced mankind remarkably.
Today, a number of modern developments and innovations promise to make electricity smarter, cleaner and more accessible all over the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Electricity’s Origins
When was electricity first used in homes?
In 1882, the Hearthstone House in Wisconsin became the first private residence to be powered by electricity. While electricity transmission was invented around 1880, electrical power didn’t become a common household feature until the early 20th century.
What was Benjamin Franklin’s role in discovering electricity?
Benjamin Franklin demonstrated that electricity is present in the atmosphere, particularly during cloudy and stormy weather. He also invented the lightning rod, which is essential for lightning protection.
How has our understanding of electricity evolved?
A few centuries ago, electrical energy was far more mysterious than it is today. For example, before the discovery of atoms and their behavior, several people believed that electricity was caused by an invisible substance filling up a space and exerting force on it, sometimes called the “aether.” Some physicists, including the famous Sir Humphry Davy, believed that there is something called “animal electricity,” which is different from electricity flowing through metals.
Today, we understand electricity almost entirely, including what causes it, how it behaves and how it interacts with its surroundings.
What were the most important electrical discoveries?
There are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of important discoveries related to electricity. However, the most mentionable are the discovery of static and current electricity, conductors and non-conductors, capacitors and electromagnetism.
