# Canonical recap data for Invention of the Radio (1895)
# Source: https://recap.at/1895/marconi-radio
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: marconi-radio
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1895/marconi-radio"
title: Invention of the Radio
aliases:
- Marconi's wireless telegraph
- First radio transmission
- Wireless telegraphy breakthrough
- Birth of radio communication
subtitle: Marconi's wireless telegraphy untethered communication from cables and enabled global broadcasting, reshaping information and entertainment.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1895-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1895
decade: 1890
country:
name: Italy
slug: italy
summaryShort: The invention of radio communication was preceded by many decades of establishing theoretical underpinnings, discovery and experimental investigation of radio waves, and engineering and technical developments related to their transmission and detection. These developments allowed Guglielmo Marconi to turn radio waves i
summaryLong: The invention of radio communication was preceded by many decades of establishing theoretical underpinnings, discovery and experimental investigation of radio waves, and engineering and technical developments related to their transmission and detection. These developments allowed Guglielmo Marconi to turn radio waves into a wireless communication system.
lede: In 1895, Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian inventor in his early twenties, transmitted a wireless signal across his family's estate near Bologna—the first practical demonstration of radio communication. This was the culmination of decades of theoretical work on electromagnetic waves, but Marconi's achievement mattered because he showed the technology could actually work. Within years, wireless telegraphy would transform long-distance communication, making it possible to send messages across oceans without cables.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/FFU_trx_Stiff_1904.JPG/1280px-FFU_trx_Stiff_1904.JPG"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Invention of radio"
importance: 87
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Year of first transmission
  value: "1895"
- label: Location
  value: Villa Grifone, Bologna, Italy
- label: Marconi's age
  value: 21 years old
- label: Initial transmission distance
  value: Approximately 1.5 kilometers
- label: Patent filed
  value: 1896 in Italy; 1897 in Britain
- label: Marconi's company founding
  value: 1897 (Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company)
- label: First transatlantic wireless signal
  value: December 1901
timeline:
- date: 1887-01-01
  title: Hertz demonstrates electromagnetic waves
  description: Heinrich Hertz publishes experimental proof of electromagnetic waves predicted by Maxwell's equations, establishing the theoretical foundation for wireless transmission.
- date: 1890-01-01
  title: Branly's coherer improvements
  description: Édouard Branly develops a refined coherer device that can detect wireless signals, advancing the detection technology Marconi will use.
- date: 1895-09-01
  title: Marconi's first successful transmission
  description: Guglielmo Marconi transmits a wireless signal across his family estate near Bologna, achieving the first practical demonstration of radio communication at useful distance.
- date: 1896-04-01
  title: Patent granted in Italy
  description: Marconi receives his first wireless telegraphy patent in Italy, followed by British patent approval later that year.
- date: 1897-07-20
  title: Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company formed
  description: Marconi establishes his company in Britain to commercialize wireless telegraphy, attracting investors and beginning equipment manufacturing.
- date: 1898-01-01
  title: First commercial wireless service
  description: Marconi installs wireless equipment on British lightships, marking the first commercial application of wireless telegraphy for maritime communication.
- date: 1899-03-27
  title: First wireless signal across English Channel
  description: Marconi successfully transmits a wireless signal across the English Channel from Dover to Wimereux, France, demonstrating trans-water capability.
- date: 1900-04-26
  title: British Marconi Company chartered
  description: Marconi's company receives a British charter and begins expansion into marine wireless communication services.
- date: 1901-12-12
  title: First transatlantic wireless signal
  description: Marconi receives the letter 'S' transmitted wirelessly from Cornwall, England to Newfoundland, Canada, proving long-distance transatlantic wireless communication.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invention_of_radio"
  title: Invention of the radio
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: Marconi's 1895 demonstration proved wireless signal transmission was viable at practical distances, overcoming skepticism that had persisted despite decades of electromagnetic theory. This catalyzed rapid commercial development of radio technology, which within a decade was being deployed for ship-to-shore communication and would eventually reshape global telecommunications, emergency response, and broadcasting.
categories:
- tech-launch
taxonomy:
domain: technological
eventTypes:
- tech_launch
- scientific_breakthrough
canonicalClasses:
- creation
- discovery
- transformation
impactRadius: global
velocity: gradual
predictability: emergent
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: birth
metaDescription: Guglielmo Marconi's 1895 wireless telegraph transmission near Bologna—the first practical radio signal demonstration.
wikidataQid: Q1516738
peoplesVoice:
- source: Guglielmo Marconi, inventor and engineer
  voiceType: developer
  context: Marconi demonstrates wireless telegraphy across the English Channel in 1899, validating his 1895 breakthrough.
  excerpt: I have simply made use of the discoveries of Hertz and other scientists to accomplish what many thought impossible - the transmission of signals without wires across great distances.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 88
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Contemporary interviews and demonstrations, 1895-1899
  publishedAt: 1895-12-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: William Preece, Chief Engineer of the British Post Office
  voiceType: official
  context: Britain's telegraph authority commented on Marconi's experiments as they gained public attention in 1895-1896.
  excerpt: The so-called wireless telegraph is a beautiful demonstration of scientific principles, though its practical utility for long-distance communication remains to be proven.
  sentimentLabel: skeptical
  significance: 72
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Post Office technical reviews and statements
  publishedAt: 1896-03-20
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Oliver Lodge, physicist and wireless pioneer
  voiceType: expert
  context: Lodge, who had independently researched wireless waves, responded to Marconi's publicized success in late 1895.
  excerpt: Marconi has shown remarkable experimental skill in harnessing electromagnetic waves for practical purpose. This marks a genuine advance in applied science.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 76
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Royal Society discussions and scientific journals
  publishedAt: 1895-10-10
  originalLanguage: en
- source: The Times of London, editorial board
  voiceType: media
  context: The Times assessed Marconi's 1895 experiments as they became known to the British public in early 1896.
  excerpt: An Italian inventor of modest years has succeeded where established science believed success impossible. If sustained, this invention may revolutionize long-distance communication.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 85
  attribution: The Times of London, January 1896
  publishedAt: 1896-01-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Sir William Thomson (Lord Kelvin), physicist
  voiceType: analyst
  context: The eminent physicist assessed the implications of wireless transmission for telegraphy and science in 1895-1896.
  excerpt: This young man's work vindicates Faraday's theories in the most striking manner. We may be witnessing the birth of an entirely new mode of communication.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 82
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Royal Institution lectures and correspondence
  publishedAt: 1896-02-01
  originalLanguage: en
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260519094639/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invention_of_radio"
  capturedAt: 2026-05-19
  label: Invention of the radio
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invention_of_radio"
