Alessandro Volta and The Voltaic Cell

Telecommunications has a long and varied history. It does not start with Alexander Graham Bell, but with a group of men who contributed to the building blocks of the industry. One such man, Alessandro Volta, contributed many advancements to a steady stream electric battery; without which telephony, as we know it, would not exist.

Alessandro Volta, an Italian physicist, is widely known as the forefather of the electric battery. Alessandro was born in Como, Italy. He was educated in the public schools and excelled at science. After graduating he became professor of physics at the Royal School in Como. During that time Volta devised the electrophorus. The electrophorus is an instrument that conducted charges of static electricity.

As a professor, Volta continued to study. The electrophorus peaked his interest in chemistry. Alessandro began to study atmospheric electricity. He devised experiments. These included experiments that included the igniting gages an electric spark in a vacuum. These inventions and experiments vaulted Volta into the position of professor of physics at the University of Pavia. At Pavia, Volta continued to perfect his work, inventing voltaic pile. The voltaic pile is the genesis of what today is known as the electric battery. The Voltaic Pile was able to produce a steady stream of electricity.

As a contributor to a key building block in the field of telecommunications, Alessandro Volta is revered by those in the industry. While his research and findings never intended to be used as a form of communications, without them, we could not accomplish the very core of telephony.