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Francis Hauksbee: Neon Light
Inventor Francis Hauksbee found that if he placed a small amount of mercury in a glass ball, took the air out of it and pumped an electric charge, he could see a glow from the mercury if he placed his hands on the outside of the glass ball. This light was strong enough that he could read under it, and this invention lead to neon lights. Neon lightning is used today for mostly decoration. -
Thales of Miletus: Static Electricity
Many years ago, over 2500 years, there was a Greek man named Thales. One day, he rubbed a piece of amber with some silk. To his surprise, the amber began to attract pieces of grass, feathers, and many light objects. Thales actually didn't know what happened, but now humans understand why- the amber was electrically charged. -
Benjamin Franklin: Lightning Rod
After conducting his kite experiment, Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod, to protect people from dangerous lightning, considering he nearly died in his experiment. He used a pointed rod, as he found that it was more productive than a ball. The rod would be attached to the ground by wire, and when lightning struck the rod, electricity would go down the wire, into the ground. The lightning rod had saved many structures from destruction from electricity and storms. -
Benjamin Franklin: Kite Experiment
American scientist Benjamin Franklin had a belief, that electricity caused lightning. One day, when there was going to be a storm, he started an experiment to prove it. He put a wire on the top of a kite, and tied a key to the end of the kite string. When lightning struck, the kite string started to conduct electricity. Sparks came from the key. This experiment proved that lightning was actually sparks of electricity. It also started many other experiments about electricity by other scientists. -
Luigi Galvani: Frog Legs
Luigi Galvani was an Italian scientist and doctor. When he was examining a dead frog, he observed that a spark of electiricty made the frog's leg move. This occured when two different metals touched the frog. Galvani wanted to know how this happened. He presumed that the frog's leg moved when a spark traveled between the two pieces of metal. Using observations, he estimated that the leg moved because of electricity. Scientists nowadays still relate to his discovery and research it worldwide. -
Alessandro Volta: Makes Electricity
Italian scientist Alessandro Volta heard about Galvani's discovery, and decided to make electricity, instead of watching it happen. To do this, Volta used many diverse liquids, and put them in bowls. This bowls were connected with pieces of metal. He observed that when the bowl with saltwater was connected with the ones with copper and zinc, he made a spark. This became the future battery. -
Hans Christian Oersted: Discovery of Electromagnetism
One day, Danish scientist Hans Christin Oersted found that the needle on a compass would turn away from North, when an electrical current from a battery was turned on near the compass. This showed a connection between electricity and magnetism. This discovery made him the man to discover electromagnetism, but, however, he was not the person to invent the electromagnet. -
William Sturgeon: Electromagnet
Using Oersted's discovery of electromagnetism, a few years later, english physicist William Sturgeon invented the first electromagnet. He showed the electromagnet's power, as he was able to lift an object weighing 9 pounds with a 7 pound block of iron, wound tightly with a wire connected to one battery, -
Alexander Graham Bell: Telephone
Canadian, Alexandar Graham Bell used a thin sheet of metal, a coil of wire wrung around a magnet, and a battery to invent a very commonly used electric device used today, a telephone. This could turn sound into electricity, then back to sound once more. -
Thomas Ahearn: Electric Cooking Range
Canadian inventor Thomas Ahearn invented the first electric stove in 1882. The device was first presented in 1883 in the Windsor Hotel in Ottawa. It was very unfamiliar technology back then, as not many towns had access to electricity. Soon, technology began to become more advanced, with more electrical access, and the electrical stove caught up, replacing gas stoves. It is used almost every day in our lives today. -
Thomas Ahearn: Electric Car Heater
Canadian inventor and businessman Thomas Ahearn was the founder of the Ottawa Electric Railway Company, which provided transportation to the public, and were the first streetcars with heat. However, Ahearn was not the inventor of the streetcar. -
Nikola Tesla: Wireless Communication
Nikola Tesla was an Yogoslav-American inventor. He had estimated wireless communication in 1893, and built the largest Tesla coil ever, hoping to invent this communication with electricity, without wires. In 1900, Tesla announced that he would invent a device which could report messages, which later became broadcasting. In 1898, the radio began to be used in aircrafts and ships, and is still used greatly today, -
Donald Hings: Walkie Talkie
Canadian inventor Donald Hings invented the walkie-talkie in 1937. It was technically basically a portable radio, and Hings named it a packset, but it got renamed later. When the second world war began, Hings was sent to make his product for military usage, as the Second World War had began, and the Canadian army needed communication greatly. Although not for military usage, the walkie talkie is still used today on outdoor trips, construction, safety services, and much more. -
George Klein: Electric Wheelchair
Canadian inventor George Klein inved the electric wheelchair in 1952. He is also known as the most successful inventor in Canada of the 20th century, as he had invented many things, such as aircraft skis, the Canadarm, and much more.This device was made for assitance for injured Veterans in World War II. It was much easier control, especially for those who could not manually steer a manual wheelchair, if their arms were injured. Although not for Veterans, the wheelchair is still used today. -
Richard Keefer: Garbage Run Battery
Richard Keefer, from Ontario, invented a battery which ran on garbage at the age of 17. This battery lasted much longer than regular batteries, yet the costed around the same price.
