14. Electrification, and everything that came with it
If it is hard to imagine life without an engine and four wheels, then without the essentials of electrification, life, as we know it today, would be impossible. From the moment that mankind gazed up in wonder at the extraordinary spectacle of lighting, the phenomenon of electricity has been with us. The harnessing of fire was one thing, but controlling and harnessing power was one of the great achievements of humankind.
Where did it begin? Well, according to Wikipedia, it started with the development of a practical electromagnetic generator, which occurred between 1831 and 1832, when British scientist Michael Faraday stumbled on the principle. However, many men of science were also actively experimenting with electricity, among them, of course, the great polymath Benjamin Franklin.
The principal of electromagnetic generation came to be known as ‘Faraday’s Law’, and so Michael Faraday stands as the modern father of electrical generation. He also, of course, built the first practical electromagnetic generator, known as the Faraday Disc.
From that point onward, a technological journey began to which hundreds of individuals contributed, a journey that continues to this day. The fundamentals of electromagnetic generation remain unchanged from Faraday times, and whether powered by steam, hydro or nuclear, the principal is the same. What impact has electrification had on modern life? Well, in short, universal and absolute. Modern life would simply not be possible without it.