If the words “Lyon” and “invention” rhyme, it’s no mere coincidence… Cinema, the loom, but also modern veterinary medicine, and even gastronomy! On a more scientific note, the contribution of André-Marie Ampère’s work might be more significant than all these inventions combined. If, for you too, 8th-grade physics classes on how electricity works were pure torture, let’s take a moment here to revisit Ampère in a few lines.
André-Marie Ampère, a native of Lyon dubbed the “Newton of Electricity”
Before becoming a universal unit of measurement, the ampere is first and foremost a native of Lyon born in 1775 who grew up in the small village of Poleymieux in the Mont d’Or region. By immersing himself at a very early age in the voluminous works *Buffon’s Natural History* and *Diderot’s Encyclopedia*, André-Marie Ampère developed an extraordinary intellect. Skilled with numbers, he handled equations just as adeptly as any mathematical process, method, or formula. We learn that despite his undeniable genius, Ampère was a true character, particularly because of his legendary absent–mindedness… Proof that he never failed to amaze!
Ampère’s stroke of genius came (primarily) in 1820. At the time, scientists viewed electricity and magnets as two completely unrelated phenomena. After several months of relentless work, Ampère demonstrated that electricity and magnetism are in fact two sides of the same coin. One generates the other, and vice versa. He formulated the law of electrodynamics and conceptualized the electromagnet. By proving that a magnetic field can be created with an electric current, he changed absolutely EVERYTHING.
What is Ampère’s legacy today, in 2026?
You don’t need to have attended the École Polytechnique to understand that in the world we live in—where everything is becoming electrified, from our cars to music to our books—Ampère’s work remains more relevant than ever. Here are just a few examples: electric motors have revolutionized the rail industry and are currently transforming the automotive sector. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relies on supermagnets and also owes its existence to Ampère’s work. Last but not least, the alternators and generators in our modern power grids operate on the principle of electromagnetism. Lyon, the City of Light? There’s really no debate about it…
