Copy of volta pile.

The Italian scientist Alessandro Volta invented the battery in 1800. This column of zinc and copper discs separated by cardboard discs soaked in salt solution is a faithful copy of a 'voltaic pile' battery that Volta made and gave to the English scientist Michael Faraday. The availability of a steady supply of electric current made possible a host of key discoveries during the 19th century - including electromagnetic induction and several new chemical elements.