How did Volta report his discovery of methane (1776?). Is there a written document (e.g. a letter) that one could cite?
It seems it was a series of letter to Father Campi: " In the last of the letters he wrote to Father Campi on the matter he suggested it [methane] might be used in lamps instead of oil. He himself was the first scientist to build a perpetual lamp or Volta lamp. He applied a discharge from his new electrical invention, the electrophorus, generating a spark that to light it, or to exploded the marsh gases. "
See: http://www.alessandrovolta.info/life_and_works_8.html
You can find more in the attached book.
To my knowledge the first publication was this one:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15747836-lettere-del-signor-don-alessandro-volta-patrizio-comasco-e-decurione-sul
Deepak. Please come here to Lake Como and River Adda and we'll see if we find the exact place where Alessandro Volta was observing methane bubbling out from sediments. :-)))
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