It changed the way we live and communicate and it all started 143 years ago today. It was March 10th,1876 when Alexander Graham Bell made the first phone call to Thomas Watson in the next room.

Did you know that his mother and wife were deaf and he was developing the telephone to communicate with them and others who were deaf? Well here's some other things you may not know.

He considered it an intrusion on his real work as a scientist and refused to have a telephone in his studio. Now we have a panic attack if we forget our cell phone in the other room. How many times have you driven back home when you left it there?

His first words on the telephone were, "Mr. Watson.... come here.... I want to see you."  No one really knows what his second words were. I think it was, "I'd like to sell you siding. Oh, you're eating dinner? Well this will only take a minute of your time."

Bell is also credited with the invention of the metal detector. The device was put together in an attempt to find the bullet in President James Garfield.

According to Biography, the metal detector worked flawlessly in tests but did not find the assassin's bullet because the metal bed frame on which the President was lying disturbed the instrument.

The president's surgeons, who were skeptical of the device, ignored Bell's requests to move the president to a bed without metal springs.

To his close relatives and friends he was called "Aleck." He was known for being smart so is that where 'smart aleck' came from. Probably not, but I got you thinking!

We owe a lot to 'Aleck'. If it weren't for the invention of the telephone, the office receptionist would have a much easier job. Also where would we watch YouTube videos and post our latest Facebook status.

[via Biography]

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