With the exception of food and medicine, electricity may be the single most important resource today. It powers almost every technology the modern society depends on on a constant basis. It’s so ubiquitous, most people in developed countries simply take it for granted. So it’s easy to forget that it took nearly 300 years of research and development by the greatest minds of their time before electrical energy got to where it is today.
In previous articles, we discussed the major signs of electrical problems to look out for, and discussed the dangers posed by electrical fires and how to avoid them. Now we’ll take a look at an age before electricity was widely used in Fort Collins and calling in an electrician was something very few people needed to do. Keep reading to learn more.
How long has the world had electricity?
Electricity has existed in nature for as long as our world did. However, people didn’t start trying to understand and tame it until the 18th century. During those early days, “natural scientists” from Europe and America used every opportunity to study and analyze electricity as it appeared in nature.
It wasn’t until the late 19th century that researchers were able to reliably produce electricity in laboratory conditions and create the basis of what we know today as the science of electricity was defined. From this point forward, many distinguished researchers and entrepreneurs made significant strides toward making electrical energy what it is today.
Major contributors to the field of electricity include:
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), provided evidence that electricity and lighting were one and the same.
- Andre-Maire Ampere (1775-1836), who created the International System of Units.
- Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), figured out that electricity could carry sound. This culminated in the invention of the telephone.
- Luigi Galvani (1737-1798), whose discoveries made the invention of the voltaic pile possible.
- Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), who discovered rotating magnetic fields.
- Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta (1745-1827), who created the first electric batteries.
- Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) & Ferdinand Braum (1850-1918), received the Nobel Prize for inventing a radiotelegraphy system.
- Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931) invented numerous products that are still in use today. His most famous invention is the electrical light bulb.
- Thomas Benjamin Doolittle (1839 – 1921), who created the copper wire that could replace iron wire in the telegraphy industry.
Who were the first electricians?
Aside from lighting streets and the homes of those wealthy enough to afford electricity in its early days, the electricians’ main job was to safely build and showcase the works of inventors such as Westinghouse and Edison to the public.
The biggest and most influential of these early demonstrations occurred at the Chicago fair in 1893. Tesla’s electricians installed some 100,000 electrical light bulbs and 5000 more arc lights, giving the public the first highly publicized taste of what electrical energy was really capable of.
As electricity took the world by storm and electrical devices became a must-have element in people’s homes, so did the demand for qualified electricians who could install, maintain, and repair these devices increase. This gave rise to the electrician profession we know and depend on today.
Where in Fort Collins can I hire an experienced and trained electrician?
Looking for reliable and fairly priced electrician services? Or perhaps you’re in need of trained plumbers, deck builders, painters, woodworkers, and other experts who can assist you with household repairs or home improvement projects?Here at Handyman Connection of Fort Collins, we can do all that and more! Our team of expert technicians will happily take care of your needs while you relax at the Southridge Golf Course with your friends. Reach out to us today.