Electrons were discovered by J.J. Thompson. In the late 19th century, he performed a series of experiments using cathode ray tubes, which are glass tubes containing low-pressure gas and electrodes. By applying high voltage, he observed a beam of negatively charged particles traveling from the negative electrode to the positive electrode. He concluded that these particles, which he called "corpuscles," were fundamental units of negative charge and later were renamed electrons. This discovery led to the development of the modern understanding of atomic structure and the electron's role in it.