Life, 1925-01-29 · page 12 of 37
Life — January 29, 1925 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine illustrates the history of electricity discoveries through six scientist caricatures: **Thales of Miletus** (640-546 BC) discovered amber generates electric charge through friction. **Alessandro Volta** (1745-1827) invented the voltaic pile (early battery). **Benjamin Franklin** (1706-1790) demonstrated lightning is electricity. **André-Marie Ampère** (1775-1836) developed electromagnetic theory. **Samuel F.B. Morse** (1791-1872) perfected the electric telegraph. **Alexander Graham Bell** (1847-1922) invented the telephone. The cartoon humorously depicts each scientist suffering or struggling with their respective discoveries—shock, exhaustion, or obsessive focus—suggesting the personal toll of scientific breakthroughs. This satirizes how inventors often sacrifice comfort and safety pursuing knowledge.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THALES OF MILETUS (640-546 B.C) DEVOTED THE BEST YEARS OF HIS. LIFE TO ESTABLISHING THE FACT THAT AMBER, SUBJECTED TO FRICTION, WILL GENERATE AN FLECTRIC CHARGE ALESSANDKO VOLTA (1745-1827) Wore HIMSELF TO A MERE SHADOW INVENT- ING THE VOLTAIC PILE ANDRE MARIE AMPERE (1775- 1836) SUFFERED UNTOLD PRIVA- TIONS TO DEVELOP HIS THFORY OF FLECTRO-DYNAMICS SAMUEL F. B. MORSE (1791-1872) Gave HIMSELF NO REST UNTIL HE HAD PER- FECTED THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (1706-17 RISKED DEATH TO DISCOVER THAT Lic NING IS A DISCHARGE OF ELECTRIC IT ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL (1847- 1922) CONCENTRATED EVERY OUNCE OF ENERGY UPON PER- FECTING THE TELEPHONE “The Program Is comicbooks.com