Italy seeks to rename the volt to 'volta' in science push
The Italian government wants to change the official name of the international unit of electrical potential from the "volt" to the "volta." According to Politico, the move aims to honor the Italian electricity pioneer Alessandro Volta, two centuries after his death..
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government aims to restore the name's Italian roots by reintroducing the letter "a" at the end of the word. Rome authorities stated that the initiative is part of a broader national effort to promote Italy's scientific heritage and its role in global technological innovation.
Diplomatic efforts intensified this week in Paris, where Alessio Butti, the undersecretary of state for digitalization, discussed the proposal with Annette Koo, director general of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM).
During the meeting, Butti argued that most measurement units named after historical figures retain their full surnames without abbreviations. He pointed to units such as the hertz, newton, and watt as prime examples.
The Italian official visited the French capital while also participating in the G7 digitalization ministers' meeting.
The proposed change is intended to be implemented at the national level first. Following domestic adoption, Italy plans to promote the initiative internationally, aiming for an official vote at the BIPM General Conference scheduled for October this year.
Alessandro Volta was a groundbreaking physicist credited with inventing the electric battery and discovering methane. He developed the voltaic pile, the precursor to the modern electrical battery, between 1799 and 1800. The original measurement unit was later given his name in an anglicized form.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
