Michael Faraday was an English scientist who contributed significantly to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Born into poverty in 1791, he received little formal education but became an assistant to scientist Humphry Davy. Through his own experimentation, Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction and invented the electric motor, laying the foundation for modern electricity. He also made important contributions to chemistry such as discovering benzene. Faraday introduced concepts of electromagnetic fields that became the basis of modern physics and greatly expanded scientific understanding of electricity and magnetism through his meticulous experimentation.