Historical Energy Events

Static Electricity

Jan 1, 600

Thales of Miletos discovered friction made amber magnetic.

William Gilbert

Jan 1, 1600

Studied electricity and essentially invented the word "electricty"

Lightning

Jun 1, 1752

Benjamin Franklin flew a kite with a key attached to it during a lightning storm to show that lightning sparks had similarities to electricity.

Bioelectricity

Jan 1, 1791

Luigi Galvani discovered bioelectricity. He showed that when nerve cells pass signals to muscles, it is also a form of electricity.

First Lightbulb

Oct 22, 1879

Thomas Edison invented the first lightbulb using a Carbon filament

Hydroelectric Dam

Sep 1, 1881

The first hydroelectric dam built in the U.S. was on Niagra Falls.

Geothermal Energy

Jul 4, 1904

Geothermal energy was successfully tested in July 1904 by showing that 5 lightbulbs were lit by steam coming from underground vents.

Geothermal Plant

Jun 1, 1921

John Grant drilled a well for the first geothermal plant in San Francisco which produced enough energy to power a hotel/resort.

First Nuclear Power Plant in US

May 26, 1958

Shippingport nuclear power plant - opened by President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Electric Car

Jan 1, 1990

General Motors was the first to mass produce the electric car