In 1881, a scientist created a device to save the life of the 20th U.S. President and remained unsuccessful but the device has changed the world. The scientist was Alexander Graham Bell, who designed an early metal detector after President James Garfield was shot during an assassination attempt. Doctors wanted to locate the bullet inside Garfield's body. Bell believed science could help solve the problem and quickly built a device that used electromagnetic signals. Although the invention did not save the president, it marked the beginning of metal detection technology. Today, metal detectors are used in many places across the world for safety, research, and industry.
