How the telephone failed its big test during 1918’s Spanish flu pandemic

Bell’s invention was supposed to make life under quarantine bearable. But it didn't quite work out. "Being cooped up at home during a pandemic is not fun. But in 2020, it doesn’t involve being disconnected from the outside world. Actually, thanks to the internet, the greater risk is that you might end up feeling overwhelmed by information." Harry McCracken, writing in Fast Company, explains.