Have you ever wondered about the origins of electricity? During your elementary and high school education you run all sorts of experiments and activities using this energy source. But have you ever stopped and asked when was electricity invented?

Electricity has become part of everyone's life that it is often neglected and taken aside for something trivial. But imagine a day without electricity. Yes, you can not run even the most basic gadgets in your home. But electricity is more than just the shock you get when you poke wires into your outlet. It's a force that has been discovered centuries before.

To answer the question when was electricity invented is not appropriate. First of all, electricity has been present even before man existed. It's just a matter of discovering and harnessing its power that is important. Here's a quick account of electricity through the history of mankind:

The first recorded account of electricity was dated roughly around 600 BC. Thales and Miletus described the charging of materials – amber. When they rubbed the amber, it gave off static electricity. Now, fast forward to the 1600's, William Gilbert was the first one to use the term electricity. In 1660, the first machine that produced static electricity was invented by Otto von Guericke. Robert Boyle on the other hand observed and took note of the properties of electricity as it passes through a vacuum. The attraction and repulsion gave way to better understanding of the electricity. In 1747, William Watson successfully showed that electricity can be harnessed through a circuit. Faraday on the other hand discovered the magnetic properties of electricity as it moved through a wire. Other great men like Thomas Edison, Volta, Girolamo Cardano, Tesla and others provided their insights and inventions related to electricity. But underneath all these discoveries and inventions, pinpointing when was electricity invented is still debatable as it was merely discovered.

In today's world, electricity is produced primarily by burning fossil fuels. But alternative sources of electricity are being sought after. Wind energy, solar energy even nuclear energy is viable alternatives. The amount of fossil fuel will not last the next generation as the need for energy is constantly on the rise.

Though the history of electricity has been for thousands of years, it is only in recent times that we have truly made great use of it. However, the sources that we are using to make electricity are dwindling. As such new sources are in need. So the more appropriate question is where else can we get electricity rather than ask when was electricity invented.