For those who were asking

[jeriendhal]

I have no idea how the Student managed to make the intellectual leap from two pieces of silk rubbed together or scooting your socks across a rug (not that Wazagans wear socks) to creating an electromagnetic generator. The five minutes surfing Wikipedia extensive research I did on the matter was not helpful in showing how research on the subject proceeded in the real world.

As for why it's big, the poor guy is a scientist, not a watchmaker. :)

Hmmm, of course they may have pretty good watchmakers anyway, if their astronomy (and by extension navigation) technology is suficiently advanced...

Comments

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

Working model of the "Antikythera mechanism", an ancient Greek astrolabe - not a "watch", but fits in even better with astronomy. ;)

From what 15 minutes on Wikipedia brought up, real world research of electricity came up with electrostatic generators in the 17th century, and after one and a half centuries of people experimenting with the stuff, someone noticed that a compass needle is influenced by electric currents, paving the way for research in the connection between electricity and magnetism.

There is mention of one of those Greeks you learn about in math class thinking that static electricity and magnetism were the same thing (both attracted small objects), so there seems to be some room for jumping to conclusions. :D

[mjkj.livejournal.com]

Whereas the thing is: Wazagans do not seem to know electricity (except from lightning) - so he does it the other way around than it happened here.

Maybe you get some more ideas with these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_motor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_generator
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamo

or it always could be an inspiration given/shown by God ... so the Wazagans could enter the age of electricity...