The English word “electricity” comes from the Greek word elektron, which means amber.

A bolt of lightning reaches temperatures of about 30,000°C, which is hotter than the surface of the Sun.

Electric eels can produce shocks of up to 600 volts.

Static electricity can build up to as much as 3,000 volts.

The first power plant was built in 1882—called the Pearl Street Station in New York City—and was largely developed by Thomas Edison.

Your brain actually generates enough electricity to power a small LED bulb.

Birds and squirrels don’t get electrocuted on power lines because they don’t touch the ground, which would complete the electrical circuit.

Electricity travels at nearly the speed of light.

The first battery was invented in 1800 by Alessandro Volta. Early batteries were called voltaic piles, and the unit “volt” is named after him.

Mosley Street in England became the first road to be fully lit by electricity in 1879.

Your heart uses electricity to regulate its beating rhythm.

The first use of solar energy was recorded in 1839.

Roselle, New Jersey, became the first fully electric town in 1883.

LED bulbs are extremely efficient—producing equal or better light than incandescent bulbs while using about 85% less energy.

The first electric cars actually appeared in the 1880s, long before gasoline vehicles dominated the roads.

The electric chair, used for capital punishment, was invented by a dentist.

Solar flares from the Sun can disrupt the power grid, sometimes leading to blackouts and causing growing concern as our dependence on electricity increases.

Although copper is commonly used to conduct electricity, silver is by far the best metal for it.

There are roughly 100 lightning strikes per second on Earth.

Benjamin Harrison was the first U.S. president to have electricity in the White House, but he refused to touch the light switch out of fear of electrocution—a common fear at the time.

Before fuses were invented, people sometimes used old coins in electrical systems, which was a dangerous practice despite being a quick fix.

The annual cost to charge your smartphone is around $1 to $2, depending on your electricity rate and how often you use your phone.