Alexander Graham Bell - Biography - Life - Telephone Inventor

Alexander Graham Bell (March 3, 1847 -- August 2, 1922)[2] was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone.[N 3] Bell`s father, grandfather, and brother had all been associated with work on elocution and speech, and both his mother and wife were deaf, profoundly influencing Bell`s life`s work.[5] His research on hearing and speech further led him to experiment with hearing devices which eventually culminated in Bell being awarded the first US patent for the telephone in 1876.[N 4] In retrospect, Bell considered his most famous invention an intrusion on his real work as a scientist and refused to have a telephone in his study.[7][N 5] Many other inventions marked Bell`s later life, including groundbreaking work in optical telecommunications, hydrofoils and aeronautics. In 1888, Bell became one of the founding members of the National Geographic Society.[9] He has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history.[10]