Genius vs. Genius is back this week with the third clash between the great minds of science and technology and this time the fight is ugly: two great scientists famous for creating the same thing - no less than the telephone, an invention that has changed completely the history of mankind and not just for the device itself, but also for all that this new technology allowed to exist later.

In fact, besides them, the defenders of each one also fought in more modern times. After all, who really invented the phone? The versions are the most diverse and some countries and other institutions even chose side, stating that it would be officially the creator. Still, the discussions are many and it is difficult to get in context. Which side do you take?

See here the previous fights:

• Genius vs. Genius # 1: The Electric Rivalry Between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla
• Genius vs. Genius # 2: The Atomic Combat between Oppenheimer and Edward Teller

Let the games begin! (or "iiiiiit's tiiiiiime !!!")

Tale of the tape

In the left corner, Alexander Graham Bell, the Scottish master of utterance studies, who is nothing more than the study of speech in relation to pronunciation, grammar, style, tone and other things. This Bell specialty is no wonder: both his mother and sister were deaf, and their work has always been done to better understand their speech and hearing problems. It was in these studies that the inventor began working on sound devices and came to invent what we now call the telephone.

In the right corner, Antonio Meucci, Italian, officially considered by the government of Italy and the US Congress the official inventor of the telephone. Personal friend of Giuseppe Garibaldi (hero of the Italian Unification and the War of Rags in southern Brazil), Meucci was born in Firenze, entered the city's Academy of Fine Arts at the age of 15. After that, he lived in Cuba working for the local government, where he developed a water treatment system and reformed the Gran Teatro de havana. At 42, he finally went to the United States, where he would have invented what we now call the telephone.

Alexander Graham Bell (left) and Antonio Meucci (right)

Round 1: An Italian's Journey

During the 19th century, many scientists studied the properties of electrical signal transmission. The invention of the telegraph in 1791 by Samuel Morse revolutionized communications. With it, it was possible to send electrical pulses by wire to another station, and there the encrypted message was decrypted by the receiver.

In 1860 Meucci demonstrated his invention to the public in the United States, and 11 years later, in 1871, he submitted a description of his device with the intention of patenting it.

Based on this principle, a number of other inventors have tried to go further and do something more developed using the same technology. In 1854 Antonio Meucci created a device that allowed voice communication between two rooms of his New York residence so that he could talk to his wife while working in his laboratory. The name of the device? Teletrophone.

In 1860 Meucci demonstrated his invention to the public in the United States and 11 years later, in 1871, he sent the description of his device with the intention of patenting it to the institution responsible for this type of registration. This document, however, did not mention the electromagnetic transmission of vocal sounds, the main feature that set it apart and could be considered the world's first telephone.

Antonio Meucci

Round 2: Giving a voice to those without

Alexander Graham Bell wanted to develop devices that could make life easier for people with hearing problems. With the experience gained from living with his mother and sister, Bell experimented with science to be able to transmit sounds through pulses and perhaps make life easier for them. The inventor not only worked with this type of technology, he even invented a primitive metal detector.

Trouble only grew on accusations that Bell would have had access to Gray and Meucci's previous work to come up with ideas on how to further develop his invention

When Bell decided to patent his telephone in 1876, one of his competitors, Elisha Gray, also entered the office that morning. The records are not exactly clear to this day and this turned into a big fight that simply ignored the unknown Meucci and put Bell and Gray face to face.

Trouble only increased on accusations that Bell would have had access to Gray and Meucci's prior work to come up with ideas on how to better develop his invention and get it patented first, since the Italian's drafts sent to the patent office in 1871 were not complete.

Bell and his wife

Round 3: Injustice undone

Meucci's lack of money prevented him from properly registering the patent on his telephone, which, yes, existed before that servant - and perhaps even copied - by Bell. We grew up in the Western world learning in schools that the Scot had invented the telephone, but recently several actions have attempted to correct injustice.

There is no doubt that this invention is of utmost importance to humans and has helped to develop a multitude of other technologies.

The US congress has officially decided to declare Antonio Meucci as the official inventor of the telephone, even though the measure did not go through the US Senate. Italy has already given the inventor the title of “inventore ufficiale del telefono”, or official inventor of the telephone. Many sources of information have stated that Meucci is the real creator of this device, although controversies do not cease to arise in this discussion. The fight is ugly and it doesn't look like it's going to end anytime soon.

Antonio Meucci

Final result

In any case, regardless of who actually invented the phone - whether Graham Bell, Meucci or even Gray running outside - it is undisputed that this invention is of utmost importance to humans and has helped to develop a multitude of other utility technologies. indescribable to people.

Now it's your turn: who do you think wins this fight: Alexander Graham Bell, who was reputed to have invented the phone, even on charges of plagiarism, and managed to patent the device first, or Antonio Meucci, who allegedly created the phone. phone long before the Scottish, but could not register it for lack of money? Leave your opinion there in the comments!

Genius vs. Genius # 3: Bulls on the line in this fight between Graham Bell and Meucci via TecMundo