Largest Van de Graaff generator

Invented by American physicist Robert J Van de Graaff in 1929 and using brushes on a rubber belt to create static electricity, the Van de Graaff generator is well known in classroom science lessons. However, the largest Van de Graaff generator in the world, currently housed at the Museum of Science, Boston, USA, once had a very real use in exploring atomic science. Built by Dr. Van de Graaff himself in the 1930s, the generator has two conjoined 4.5-m (15-ft) aluminium spheres standing on columns 6.7 m (22 feet) tall, and can reach 2 million Volts. The Museum runs regular shows to demonstrate the electrifying potential of this giant generator to a charged audience.