Benjamin Franklin was a multifaceted genius who excelled as an author, printer, scientist, and diplomat. His scientific reputation was built on his experiments with electricity, including the famous kite experiment, which proved that lightning is electrical. He coined terms like 'battery,' 'charge,' and 'conductor.' Franklin was a prolific inventor, creating bifocals, the lightning rod, and the Franklin stove, though he refused to patent them so that others could benefit freely. His genius for politics and diplomacy was instrumental in the American Revolution; he was the only Founding Father to sign all four of the major documents that established the United States. His 'Poor Richard's Almanack' also popularized many aphorisms still used in English today.