Editing Carlo Matteucci (section)

== Biography ==
Carlo Matteucci was born at [[Forlì]], in the province of [[Romagna]], to Vincenzo Matteucci, a physician, and Chiara Folfi. He studied mathematics at the [[University of Bologna]] from 1825 to 1828, receiving his doctorate in 1829.<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Carlo Matteucci}}</ref> From 1829 to 1831, he studied at the [[École Polytechnique]] in Paris, France. Upon returning to Italy, Matteucci studied at [[Bologna]] (1832), [[Florence]], [[Ravenna]] (1837) and [[Pisa]]. He established himself as the head of the laboratory of the Hospital of Ravenna and became a professor of physics at the local college. In 1840, by recommendation of [[François Arago]] (1786–1853), his teacher at the École Polytechnique, to the Grand-Duke of [[Tuscany]], Matteucci accepted a post of professor of [[physics]] at the [[University of Pisa]].

Instigated by the work of [[Luigi Galvani]] (1737–1798) on bioelectricity, Matteucci began in 1830 a series of experiments which he pursued until his death in 1865. Using a sensitive [[galvanometer]] of [[Leopoldo Nobili]], he was able to prove that injured excitable biological tissues generated direct [[electrical current]]s, and that they could be summed up by adding elements in series, like in [[Alessandro Volta]]’s (1745-1827) [[voltaic pile|electric pile]]. Thus, Mateucci was able to develop what he called a "[[rheoscopic frog]]", by using the cut [[nerve]] of a frog's leg and its attached [[muscle]] as a kind of sensitive electricity detector. His work in bioelectricity influenced directly the research developed by [[Emil du Bois-Reymond]] (1818–1896), a student of the great German biologist [[Johannes Peter Müller]] (1801–1858) in Berlin, who tried the duplicate Matteucci's experiments and ended up discovering the nerve's [[action potential]]. In 1844, for these studies, Matteucci was awarded with the Copley medal by the [[Royal Society]].

From 1847, he took an active part in politics, and in 1860 was chosen an [[Italian Senate|Italian senator]], at the same time becoming inspector-general of the Italian [[telegraph]] lines. Two years later he was appointed Minister of Education.

Matteucci died in the Ardenza neighbourhood of [[Livorno]] in 1868.