Sensory Firsts
First Recorded Sound
April 9, 1860Paris, FranceÉdouard-Léon Scott de Martinville
Audio artifact
Historical recording
The Experience
A needle scratching soot-covered paper. No sound was heard at the time; it was purely visual data.
Impact
The preservation of the human voice, defeating the ephemeral nature of speech.
Strategy & Logistics
Studying the anatomy of the human ear to create the 'Phonautograph'.
Cost & Sacrifice
Decades of obscurity. Scott died unrecognized, believing Edison stole his glory.
Contested Origin
Edison's Phonograph (1877) was the first to PLAY back sound, but Scott RECORDED it first. It wasn't played back until 2008 via computer scanning.
Playback Delay
148 Years
Duration
10 Seconds
Knowledge Base
Verified Sources
Related Origins
Complete registry record