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2016 BCE
Fire
In prehistoric times there wasn't any electricity, therefore there was no warmth. Around the time of the Homo Erectus period there were traces of fire marks found in a South African cave. Even though this wasn't documented and it was so ling ago, this is believed to be the first man made fire.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/evolution/9180878/Earliest-evidence-of-man-made-fire.html -
Battery
In 1800 a physicist named Alessandro Volta made the first electric battery. This allowed people to store energy for times in need. We still use batteries like this today for remotes, toys, clocks, flashlights, and so much more.
http://www.famousscientists.org/alessandro-volta/ -
Lightbulb
In 1800 a group of men including Humphry Davy, Joseph Wilson Swan, Charles Francis Brush, Thomas Alva Edison, and Willis R. Whitney made the first electric lightbulb. They experimented with different kinds of materials until they came to a full functioning solution. We still use this model of light bulb today.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/edison/lightbulb.shtml -
Solar Power
In 1839 a woman named Alexandre Edmond discovered the photovoltaic effect.This meant that they could use the sunlight's energy to make electricity. Almost 100 years later a man named Russell Ohl made the first solar panel. These panels are still popular today.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/09/eight-energy-innovations-that-changed-history.html -
Telephone
In 1876 a man named Alexander Graham Bell invented the first compact home phone. This communications device was instantly popular. Today we have very different types of phones but it can all trace back to this phone.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/511932682612825199/ -
Hydropower
On September 30, 1882 a paper manufacturer named H.J. Rodgers created one of the most useful, and natural, ways to create power. This power source is known as hydropower. He used the current of the fox river to create electricity.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/09/eight-energy-innovations-that-changed-history.html?slide=3 -
Television
Although it seems that TV's aren't such a complex or important thing, they are. In 1911 a man named Alan Archibald made the first television. The hardware itself was very fragile and the image was unclear on the screen but it was the true, first, working, television set.
http://www.bairdtelevision.com/swinton.html -
Nuclear Energy
In 1934 a physicist named Enrico Fermi discovered the idea of nuclear fission. He "bombarded" uranium atoms with neutrons and discovered that the product was lighter than uranium.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/09/eight-energy-innovations-that-changed-history.html?slide=3 -
Wind Farms
In 1980 a company named U.S. Wind power made the first full functioning wind farm. A wind farm is a group of huge wind powered propellers that produce energy when spun.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/09/eight-energy-innovations-that-changed-history.html?slide=3 -
Nuclear Fusion
In 2015 MIT researchers may have developed a new design for the reactors. Nuclear fusion is a very dangerous energy source that we are still figuring out. This new "donut-shaped" design may lead to something very important int eh future.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/energy/2015/12/151228-eight-tech-breakthroughs-that-could-help-power-the-world/
