Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, right? Wrong, says the US House of Representatives, which this week passed a resolution crediting an obscure Italian inventor who died in poverty 113 years ago. “The life and achievements of Antonio Meucci should be recognised and his work in the invention of the telephone should be acknowledged,” says the resolution. It explains how Meucci, an Italian émigré, invented the “teletrofono” and demonstrated it in 1860. His working models were reportedly lost by a lab Meucci shared with Bell at the Western Union company. The Scotsman won a patent on the phone 26 years later.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Space
A robot called GIMLI will explore a lunar cave for a future moon base
91ɫÇéƬ
91ɫÇéƬ
The economic benefits of the covid vaccines may be double what we thought
News
Humans
Tomb in Siberia reveals humans were using cannabis 2800 years ago
News
Technology
Google shouldn’t be pressuring schools to use its AI
91ɫÇéƬ
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles