Who was Alessandro Volta? What did he do?

Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta (18 February 1745 – 5 March 1827) was an Italian physicist.


Today, February 18, marks Alessandro Volta's 270th birthday. The Italian physicist, best known for inventing the chemical battery, is getting a Google Doodle in his honor. (He also got the volt named after him, which is almost as good.)