Michael Faraday - Father of Electricity (Feat Special Guest Kathy Loves Physics and History)

S5 E7 · Back To The Past: The Alternate History Podcast

13 Plays2 years ago

We wanted to thank Kathy Joseph once again for appearing as a guest on this week's episode. We had a great time discussing with her about Michael Faraday, otherwise known to Kathy as the father of Electricity. Make sure to check out her latest book, The Lightning Tamers: True Stories of the Dreamers and Schemers Who Harnessed Electricity and Transformed Our World , amazon now!

https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Tamers-Harnessed-Electricity-Transformed/dp/B0B4KMYGP8

Short description of the book:

You flick on a light without thinking about it. But what about the fascinating and bizarre stories hidden behind that simple action? Fortunes were made and lost, ideas stolen, rivalries pursued, dogs electrocuted, beards set on fire, arms amputated, and decapitated human heads reanimated all with the invention and evolution of electricity.

In this physics and engineering chronicle disguised as an electric time-travel adventure, Kathy Joseph, physicist, educator, and creator of the popular Kathy Loves Physics documentary channel on YouTube, shares the story of electricity through the linked breakthroughs of men and women in science.

Go on a wild journey covering over 400 years of history to discover for yourself the unlikely yet true stories of the characters who paved the way for modern electricity. From the assistant who invented the electric light 140 years before Edison to the severed ear that led to the telephone, follow the chain of experiments, inventions, and discoveries through time. Beginning with Queen Elizabeth’s bored doctor naming electricity after jewelry, the winding road that leads to you to charge your phone at night will enthrall you.

And make sure to check Kathy's youtube channel and website!
Kathy Loves Physics And History: https://www.youtube.com/c/KathyLovesPhysicsHistory

Website: https://kathylovesphysics.com/

Who was Michael Faraday?

Michael Faraday was an English scientist who contributed to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism and electrolysis. Although Faraday received little formal education, he was one of the most influential scientists in history. It was by his research on the magnetic field around a conductor carrying a direct current that Faraday established the basis for the concept of the electromagnetic field in physics. Faraday also established that magnetism could affect rays of light and that there was an underlying relationship between the two phenomena. He similarly discovered the principles of electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and the laws of electrolysis. His inventions of electromagnetic rotary devices formed the foundation of electric motor technology, and it was largely due to his efforts that electricity became practical for use in technology.