It was during this time that Henrich Hertz (1857-1894), a German physicist, who studied electromagnetic waves, showed that their behavior resembles that of light and heat waves. The unit of frequency, hertz, is named after him. When Marconi heard in 1887 that Hertz had discovered radio waves, his imaginative mind began to think of the possibilities of sending messages on these waves. At that time messages were sent long distance in the Morse code using electric wires.
Marconi worked on this problem for sometime. He was able to develop an electric bell that could be operated on from a distance of 9 metres with the aid of radio waves. He continued to work on this till he developed equipment that could transmit pulses up to about half a kilometer. He had achieved radio communication. In the meantime he was dissatisfied with the lack of interest shown by the Italian government in his research. It resulted in his shifting his base to London in 1896, where he felt his work would be recognized.
In London, in 1896 and 1897 he demonstrated the wireless telegraphy apparatus he had successfully developed. He had improved radio communication to a distance of about 19 kilometres.
Marconi formed the company that was called Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company Ltd. in 1887. Two years later he transmitted a radio communication across the English Channel, which is about 50 kilometres in width. The next year he installed to the newspapers in New York City the progress of the yacht race for the American Cup.
Marconi could not rest as he still strived to improve his own invention. In 1901 he sent the letter S in Morse code across the Atlantic Ocean. It thrilled people all over the world as they foresaw the countless uses of radio waves. In 1909 Marconi was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Marconi continued to work on short-wave wireless communication. It is the basis of the modern long distance radio. The Italians finally recognized his worth. In 1930 he was chosen the president of the Royal Italian Academy. Marconi died in 1937 after giving so much to the world.
