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Of all the modern means of media and entertainment, arguably few have been as impactful as radio. The audio transmissions that carry sound to virtually everybody within the range of radio waves reshaped the world around the turn of the 20th century. Radio waves are among a type of electromagnetic waves generated by transmitter-equipped antennas and picked up for audible consumption by antennas connected to a radio receiver – like the kind you might have in your car or at home. Radio waves can be used for a variety of purposes, including entertainment, communication, radar, and many other practical functions.
So, who invented the radio? Well, like so many of the greatest inventions, there are many people who contributed to the knowledge and technology necessary to bring radio to the airwaves. German physicist Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of electromagnetic waves (which were proposed by Scottish physicist and mathematician James Clerk Maxwell), and Croatian engineer Nicola Tesla invented the Tesla coil, a radio-frequency resonant transformer that helps to generate the types of electromagnetic fields necessary for transmitting and receiving radio waves. Ultimately, Italian electrical engineer Guglielmo Marconi built on all of these scientific breakthroughs to invent the first commercially viable wireless radio.
By the mid-1890s, Marconi was experimenting with transmitting radio waves for the purposes of communication, and in 1896 he secured his first patent for wireless telegraphy. He successfully sent wireless Morse code signals over the Bristol Channel in 1897, and in 1901, he managed the first transatlantic radio transmission from England to Newfoundland. Radio technology proved critical for communications during World War I. By the late 1920s and early 1930s, radios were affordable enough for millions of households around the world to tune into favorite radio stations so they could listen to the latest tunes, enjoy sporting events, and catch up on the news.
Marconi died at the age of 63 in 1937 leaving behind a legacy that reshaped how the world communicates, shares audio artforms, and stays connected to one another. His life and landmark inventions have inspired multitudes of recognition, including the striking of an Italian 100 lire coin in 1974 that commemorates the 100th anniversary of Marconi’s birth. The obverse features a three-quarter profile of Marconi’s bust while the reverse carries an early Marconi radio antenna. In addition to the 1974 Italy 100 Lire, another way Marconi is remembered is by celebrating the unofficial holiday known as National Radio Day, held on August 20, which was the same day in 1920 that the first officially licenced radio station went on the air in the United States, under the call letters KDKA, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.