Alessandro Volta Born: Inventor of the Electric Battery
Alessandro Volta built the world's first battery in 1800 by stacking alternating discs of zinc and silver in brine-soaked cloth. He wrote a letter to the Royal Society describing it. Napoleon read the paper and summoned Volta to Paris to demonstrate it in person. Within decades, the voltaic pile had enabled the discovery of electrolysis, the telegraph, and electroplating. The unit of electrical potential — the volt — carries his name. He was born in Como. He died in Como. He barely left.
February 18, 1745
281 years ago
What Else Happened on February 18
The Kali Yuga began as the era of spiritual decline following the departure of Krishna from the earthly realm. This transition into the final age of the Hindu c…
The Hindu calendar marks this as the moment Krishna left Earth. Kali Yuga — the age of darkness and discord — began at midnight between February 17 and 18, 3102…
Frederick II got Jerusalem back by speaking Arabic with the Sultan over dinner. No battle. No papal blessing — the Pope had excommunicated him. Al-Kamil and Fre…
Dovmont of Pskov routed the combined forces of the Livonian Order and Danish Estonia on the frozen Rakvere River. This decisive victory halted the Order’s eastw…
Dovmont of Pskov shattered the Livonian Brothers of the Sword at the Battle of Rakvere, halting their eastern expansion into Russian territories. This decisive …
Emperor Amda Seyon I launched his military campaigns into the southern Muslim provinces, aggressively expanding the Solomonic dynasty’s reach. This push consoli…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.