Michael Faraday was born in 1791 in London to a poor family. He had little formal education but showed an interest in science through his work as a bookbinder. He became an assistant to scientist Humphry Davy at the Royal Institution, where he began his research into electricity and magnetism. Through experiments with coils and iron rings, he discovered the principles of electromagnetic induction and how changing magnetic fields can generate electric currents. His invention of the electric generator in 1831, which used a copper disk between magnet poles to produce a continuous electric current, allowed electricity to be efficiently produced and paved the way for widespread electrification.