A carabiner is a common piece of mountain climbing equipment, a metal clip that allows climbers to link together ropes and harnesses. If you're learning to rock climb, you'll most likely use a carabiner. Carabiners are vital for climbers and mountaineers to keep various pieces of equipment connected to each other, and thus to keep themselves safe while they're climbing. A carabiner can take various forms and shapes, but it's usually a metal oval, with a spring-loaded clip that stays closed unless it's pushed open.
In 1899, American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) acquired the assets of its parent, the American Bell Telephone Company. American Bell had created AT&T to provide long-distance calls between New York and Chicago and beyond. AT&T became the parent of American Bell Telephone Company, and thus the head of the Bell System, because regulatory and tax rules were leaner in New York than in Boston, where American Bell was headquartered.
Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish-born[N 3] scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone and founding the American Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1885. 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. His research on hearing and speech further led him to experiment with hearing devices which eventua