Alexander Stepanovich Popov. Wikipedia photo.

Today marks the 160th birthday of Alexander Stepanovich Popov, born on March 16, 1859, in Krasnoturinsk, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. He is regarded in Russia and much of Eastern Europe as the inventor of radio. He improved the coherer to the point where it could receive radiotelegraph signals at a reasonable speed.  In 1895, he employed the improved coherer as part of a lightning detector.  On March 24, 1896, he used radio to transmit a message between university buildings in St. Petersburg.

1989 Soviet stamp showing Povov demonstrating first radio, 1895, Wikipedia image.