Restored archive. The original History Commons is no longer online; this is a read-only edition of its timelines. Content is licensed CC BY-NC-SA.

History Commons Archive

Restored archive of the open-content investigative journalism project

1887: Scientist Shows that UV Light Alters Electrical Voltage

German scientist Heinrich Hertz discovers that ultraviolet light alters the lowest voltage capable of causing a spark to jump between two metal electrodes. [US Department of Energy, 2002 pdf file ]