Luigi Galvani is born in Bologna, Papal States (now Italy) in 1737. The doctor, scientist and philosopher is known for his work in bioelectromagnetics or animal electricity. He discovered frog legs would twitch when he put a small electrical charge through them. His work was a direct inspiration for Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein. He died in 1798.
This Day in Halloween: Influential scientist and philosopher Luigi Galvani is born in Bologna, Papal States (now Italy) in 1737. / Illustration by Dominic Ho