-
The First Steam Engine
Thomas Savery was a British engineer and inventor. Savery patented the first steam engine, which only included a pump with manually-operated valves that raised water.
(https://www.livescience.com/44186-who-invented-the-steam-engine.html) -
The First Electric Battery
Alessandro Volta discovered a practical method for producing and generating energy. The first battery, formerly known as the "Voltaic Pile," was created by discs of zinc and copper with soaked cardboard wedged between them.
(https://www.thoughtco.com/battery-timeline-1991340) -
The First Surviving Electric Motor
Michael Faraday demonstrated electromagnetic rotation after the creation of two experiments. The invention consists of a wire moving in a circular motion around a magnet.
(http://www.rigb.org/our-history/iconic-objects/iconic-objects-list/faradays-motor) -
The First Fuel Cell
William Robert Grove invented the first electric cell which contained zinc and platinum cathode, in 1839. Three years later, Grove developed the first fuel cell that generated an electric current.
(https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Robert-Grove) -
The First Telegraph
Samuel Morse transmitted a message from Washington to Baltimore using the first patented telegraph, popularizing long-distance communication through the use of electrical signals.
(https://www.loc.gov/collections/samuel-morse-papers/articles-and-essays/invention-of-the-telegraph/) -
The First Telephone
The creation of the early telephone is often accredited to Alexander Graham Bell because of his patent of the "electromagnetic transmission of vocal sound by electric current." However, Antonio Meucci developed a voice-communication and submitted a patent for his device. His patent excluded any mention about "electromagnetic transmission," which is why he is not recognized by many for his invention.
(https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jun/17/humanities.internationaleducationnews) -
The "First" Incandescent Light Bulb
Thomas Edison developed the first incandescent light bulb with a carbon filament. Prior to Edison, other inventors created electric lights, but Edison was the first to patent lights using cotton and linen thread, wood splints, and coiled paper.
(http://www.bulbs.com/learning/history.aspx) -
The First Hydroelectric Power Plant
H. J. Rogers manufactured the first power plant in Wisconsin, and it was able to generate enough power to provide electricity to his home, a nearby building, and the power plant itself. James Francis and Lester Allan Pelton both contributed to the manufacturing of the power plant by creating the water turbine and the Pelton wheel. -
The First Wind Turbine
Charles Francis Brush invented the first electricity-producing wind turbine in Cleveland, Ohio. The wind tower was 60 feet tall and could generate up to 12kW of electricity.
(https://cleantechnica.com/2014/06/22/americas-first-wind-turbine-generated-electricity-1888/) -
The First Modern Solar Cell
Russell Ohl was an engineer who is recognized by most for patenting the first modern solar cell after experimenting with a cracked silicone sample.
(http://ethw.org/Russell_Ohl)
