Alessandro Volta invented the first chemical battery, called the Voltaic Pile, in 1775. The Voltaic Pile was the first device that could generate a steady current of electricity and is the precursor to modern batteries. It works by stacking alternating discs of different metals, like copper and zinc, separated by brine-soaked paper. This arrangement causes a flow of electrons from the negative to the positive terminal that can power devices. Batteries remain essential today as they power vehicles, phones, and many other technologies people use daily.