ABSTRACT
The word “bioelectricity” appears to be a contradiction in terms, implying a connection between biology and electricity. The established textbooks of biology seem to ignore electricity. while the electrical texts seem equally unaware that biology exists. To compound the confusion, there are now a number of competing terms used to describe this field: biomagnetics, electrobiology, bioelectromagnetics, magnetobiology, bioelectro-chemistry, and so on. Quite apparently something is happening at the interface between the life sciences and electromagnetism that is new and exciting, and that is ignored by the scientific establishment. The situation is typical of what Kuhn called a revolution in scientific concepts (1), and it is my belief that this is exactly what is occurring. It is the purpose of this chapter to introduce this new scientific paradigm by providing a brief historical perspective. As such, it can only touch on what I perceive to be the significant links in the chain of events that have led to the development of this new scientific discipline.
