August 12 • Alessandro Volta
Alessandro Volta, born in Como in 1745, was one of Italy’s great scientific pioneers. Through his brilliant work in physics, he transformed the study of electricity and helped open the modern age of technological discovery.
In 1800, Volta invented the voltaic pile, the first true electric battery. By creating a steady flow of electric current, his invention made possible countless later developments, from telegraphy and lighting to motors and modern electronics.
A respected professor and experimenter, Volta showed how careful observation and imagination could change the world. He died in 1827, but his name lives on in the unit of electrical potential: the volt.
