Is this supposed to be a revolutionary European invention?
"In 1839, the ability of some materials to create an electrical charge from light exposure was first observed by the French physicist Edmond Becquerel"
So yes
Neither the title nor the article implied so.
alt Hacker News
"In 1839, the ability of some materials to create an electrical charge from light exposure was first observed by the French physicist Edmond Becquerel"
So yes