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Ben Franklin tied a key to a kite string during a thunderstorm, and proved that static electricity and lightning were the same thing.
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Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built the first self-propelled vehicle, a military tractor that ran on steam. It could go 2.5 miles per hour. the exact date is unknown.
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Alessandro Volta invented the first electric battery. The term volt is named in his honor. exact date unnown
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Samuel Morey developed an engine that ran on ethanol and turpentine.
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Thomas Davenport invented the electric motor, an invention that is used in most electrical appliances today.
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Samuel Morse invented the electric telegraph, a machine that could send messages long distances across wires.
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Auguste Mouchout , a mathematics instructor, was able to convert solar radiation directly into mechanical power. The exact date is unknown.
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Henry Ford produced the Model T. As a flexible fuel vehicle, it could run on ethanol, gasoline, or a combination of the two. The exact date is unknown.
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The first test of a nuclear weapon, code-named Trinity,occurred at Alamogordo, New Mexico.
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The first time that power was generated from a commercial nuclear plant, at Santa Susana, California.
