In 1876, an engineer and experimenter named Nikolaus Otto invented an effective gas motor engine. It was the first practical four-stroke internal combustion engine, meaning that in a complete cycle, the pistons in the engine make four strokes. It used gasoline in order to power it, and implemented a combustion chamber to change the chemical energy released from the combusting gas directly into mechanical energy.

The development of this and other engines led almost directly to the development of the automobile. Before such engines were invented, an automobile would have had to use a steam engine, which was too unwieldy for such usage.  Even today, engines based on Otto's invention are used to power modern automobiles and airplanes.

*Picture from Encarta Encyclopedia

"Internal-Combustion Engine". Microsoft Encarta Electronic Encyclopedia Edition 2002.

• This entry included much about the history of the telephone as well as a brief outline of how the first phone functioned.

Bellis, Mary. Nicolaus Otto. 28 December 2003
<http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blotto.htm>

• Provided more information about the inventor, Nicolaus Otto