Imagine what your life would be like without radio, or if you couldn’t watch television for just one day. Receiving information through radio has become a habit and an important part of your life. But have you ever wondered: who invented radio?
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791 – 1872).
In ancient times, messages were conveyed by running or riding horses, which was time-consuming and labor-intensive. By the 19th century, with the rise of capitalist production, these ancient methods of communication could no longer meet the need for rapid information exchange, even with newer methods such as trains and ships. With the advent of electricity in the realm of science, there was a desire to spark a revolution in news transmission via electricity. Many individuals dedicated extensive effort and passion to this challenging scientific path. Ultimately, they achieved significant scientific breakthroughs: by the late 1830s, American inventor Samuel Morse (1791 – 1872) successfully created the practical telegraph and established the first telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore in 1844. In 1876, American inventor Alexander Graham Bell (1847 – 1922) invented the telephone. By the 1890s, innovations in wireless telegraphy emerged. However, the question remains: who first discovered radio? This topic continues to spark debate.
Some argue that radio was first discovered by the Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi (1841 – 1937). At the age of 20 in 1894, Marconi discovered the properties of electromagnetic waves through Hertz’s obituary, which led him to envision using these waves for wireless communication. He established the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company, beginning the production of electromagnetic wave transmitters and receivers. However, he was dissatisfied with the limited range of wireless telegraphy. In 1901, Marconi constructed a towering transmission station in England and sent electromagnetic signals across the Atlantic Ocean.
Conversely, many Soviet scholars assert that the true inventor of radio was Russian scientist Alexander Popov. These scholars claim that Popov invented the first wireless telegraph in 1895. Shortly after his invention, 27 fishermen were rescued from drifting ice in the Polo Sea thanks to his wireless telegraph. However, Popov’s invention was not utilized in Russia at that time.
Physicist James Maxwell.
In 1895, when Popov requested the government for 1,000 rubles to equip his wireless telegraph experiment, the Minister of War replied: “We do not allow funds to be used for such fanciful ideas.” This invention was later capitalized on by Marconi, who sought to claim priority for the invention of radio. Some have even asserted that Popov’s invention, which was ignored by the conservative Tsar, was appropriated by the Italian swindler Marconi, who falsely claimed it as his own.
Some scholars strive to mediate this debate, suggesting that the development of wireless telegraphy was achieved simultaneously by Marconi and Popov. They argue that the invention of radio represents one of the most significant scientific and technological achievements of the 19th century. In 1888, German scientist Heinrich Hertz discovered electromagnetic waves during electric discharge experiments, validating James Maxwell’s predictions about electromagnetic waves. Utilizing these wireless waves for communication appears to be a concurrent achievement of both Italian engineer Marconi and Russian scientist Popov.
In conclusion, opinions on this matter vary widely. Ultimately, whether the first inventor of radio was Marconi or Popov remains an unresolved question.
Mai Lan
