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It Goes On and On...
Alessandro Volta invented the voltaic pile and discovered the first practical method of generating electricity. Constructed of alternating discs of zinc and copper with pieces of cardboard soaked in brine between the metals, the voltic pile produced electrical current. The metallic conducting arc was used to carry the electricity over a greater distance. Alessandro Volta's voltaic pile was the first "wet cell battery" that produced a reliable, steady current of electricity. -
#Selfie
Joseph Nicephore Niepce invented one of the first machines capable of producing a likeness, or a picture. He photographed the nature surrounding his home, and it took several hours. -
Steamy
While an earlier model invented by Richard Trevithick had failed, George Stephenson didn't give up on the idea of a steam powered train. He designed the first successful steam engine in 1814 -
Baby Bike
In 1816, Baron Karl von Drais de Sauerbrun, of Germany, invented a model with a steering bar attached to the front wheel, which he called a Draisienne. -
As Hard as a Rock
The idea of pouring liquid rock that would harden into stone was a dream that had been played with by inventors for years. Joseph Aspdin was successful in creating a formula for cement that would change the way builders built. -
Braille by Braille
Louis Braille invented a type of raised lettering for the blind. It was a series of dots which would be called Braille. -
Type Test
Printing presses had been using typesetting for many years, but it was a long, hard task to print even one book. W.A. Burt invented the typewriter, which would allow writers to create writing in a much quicker fashion. The first typewriter was pattonted on July 23, 1829, however did not become commercially successful until 1867 -
Ice, Ice, Baby
The first practical refrigerating machine was built by Jacob Perkins in 1834; it used ether in a vapor compression cycle. An American physician, John Gorrie, built a refrigerator based on Oliver Evans' design in 1844 to make ice to cool the air for his yellow fever patients. -
More Morse
An inventor named Samuel Morse invented the telegraph, which allowed people to communicate via wires over long distances. The next year he invented the Morse Code, which is still used today. -
Antiseptic
A Hungarian named Ignaz Semmelweis invented antiseptics which would aid in cleanliness. Another medical invention during this time was the use of anesthesia for dental work by Dr. William Morton.
