Alessandro Volta

1745 – 1827

Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta was an Italian physicist and chemist who in 1799 invented the voltaic pile, the first device to produce a steady electric current and the prototype of all subsequent electric batteries. He also discovered methane in 1776 and isolated it for combustion. The unit of electric potential—the volt—is named in his honor.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM