History of electrochemistry
In 1789, Franz Aepinus developed a device with the properties of a "condenser" (now known as a capacitor.) The Aepinus condenser was the first capacitor developed after the Leyden jar, and was used to demonstrate conduction and induction. The device was constructed so that the space between two plates could be adjusted, and the glass dielectric separating the two plates could be removed or replaced with other materials.
2N107
The 2N107 was conceived in 1955 by Carl David Todd, who had just joined GE as an engineer. Todd's interest in a hobby/experimental transistor probably originated when he participated in one of the CK722 transistor design contests, while he was an engineering student at Auburn University and finished sixth. The success of the CK722 gave impetus for Carl Todd to convince GE marketing to follow the path of Raytheon, the inventor of the CK722. General Electric had a lot of 2N43 thru 2N45 type transistors that did not meet specifications. Like Norman Krim at Raytheon, Carl Todd wanted to increase GE's transistor market by expanding into the hobbyist market.