IEEE Spectrum breed · Technologie

The First Battery Was Inspired By a Dead Frog

Alessandro Volta's invention of the first battery in 1799, the voltaic pile, stemmed from a scientific disagreement with his friend Luigi Galvani over the nature of electricity observed in dead frogs.

Galvani believed frogs possessed an "animal electricity," a vital force causing muscle contractions. Volta, however, argued that the electricity originated from the contact of two different metals with the frog, which he termed "metallic electricity."

To demonstrate his theory, Volta created a stack of alternating copper and zinc discs separated by brine-soaked material. This "artificial electric organ" generated a continuous electric current through a chemical reaction, unlike the brief discharge of a Leyden jar.

Volta's invention, announced after Galvani's death, revolutionized science. It led to the discovery of chemical electrolysis by Nicholson and Carlisle and enabled Humphry Davy to isolate several elements.

While Volta is often credited as the sole winner, both scientists were partially correct. Galvani was right that electrical signals caused muscle contractions, and Volta correctly identified the role of metals, though he underestimated the importance of the electrolyte.

Their differing theories, though initially debated, ultimately spurred advancements in separate fields: electrophysiology for Galvani and electrochemistry and battery science for Volta. This illustrates how scientific disagreements can lead to multiple avenues of discovery.

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