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Primary sourceBook1918

The Duration of Life and Conditions Associated with Longevity

Alexander Graham Bell · 1918

Bell's 1918 study of longevity using the genealogy of the Hyde family, part of his later research into heredity.

Written entirely by Bell, this study shows his later scientific work on heredity and longevity.

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The Duration of Life and Conditions Associated with LongevityPDF · 72 pages
Alexander Graham Bell, The Duration of Life and Conditions Associated with Longevity: A Study of the Hyde Genealogy, 1918.

About this source

What it is

This is a 57-page study written by Alexander Graham Bell and published in 1918 by the Genealogical Record Office in Washington, D.C. It examines the duration of life of members of the Hyde family across generations, comparing lifespans of parents and children.

Why it matters

Bell is best remembered for the telephone, but later in life he pursued scientific interests in heredity and genealogy, studying patterns in families' life spans. This book shows a lesser-known side of Bell as a researcher who applied careful data analysis to questions about human longevity.

Look closer

  • Why might an inventor turn to studying family genealogies and lifespans?
  • What kind of evidence would you need to compare the lifespans of parents and children fairly?
  • What does this book suggest about how Bell saw science beyond invention?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Alexander Graham on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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