(* 9. september 1737; † 4. december 1798) was an Italian physician and anatomist. The biophysicist Giovanni Aldini was his nephew. Galvani studied theology before he studied medicine. In 1762 he became professor for medicine in Bologna and in 1755 professor for practical anatomy. His successful publication of De renibus atque urethris volatilium led for him to elaborate upon the physiology of birds. He later set his focus on the examination of the hearing organs. A coincicence led to the discovery of the now called Galvanism on November 6 1789. This was the subject of Emil du Bois-Reymond´s first chapter in “Untersuchungen über tierische Elektrizität (Examinations on animalistic electricity). Galvani discovered through experiments with frogs legs the contraction of muscles, when in touch with cupric and iron under the condition of the later two being connected as well. We nowadays recognize a circuit, consisting of two different metals, one being an electrolyt (saltwater in Frogs legs) and a power indicator (muscle). Galvani did not understand those relations, but he established the basis for the development of electrochemical cells (also known as galvanic cells or elements) through Allesandro Volta. Galvani also built the first aerial. He noticed that a frog´s muscle, being in touch with a knive blade, would start to move whenever a closeby high tension machine leaped a spark He was convinced that lightnings worked after the same pincipal in its core. He connected the first of his house with a frog leg and the later with a fountain using isolated conductors for as a wire. This alignment is commonly known as aerial and earth return. As soon as a lighting would strike the frog leg was set into motion, even before the sound of the thunder could be heard. During the reign of terror in the french revolustion, Galvani refused to take an oath on the new regime. Tributs In 1875 the city of Bologna organized a competition to build a statue for Luigi Galvani. The sculptor Adalberto Cenetti won the competition and finished his work in 1879.