Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, the first machine capable of both recording and reproducing sound. The original device used a tin-foil-covered cylinder that was rotated by a hand crank. As a person spoke into a mouthpiece, a vibrating needle indented the sound waves onto the foil. When the needle was run back over the grooves, the sound was played back. This was the first time in human history that sound could be 'captured' and preserved. Edison's first recording was him reciting 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.' This invention laid the foundation for the entire music and recording industry, eventually leading to records, tapes, CDs, and digital audio. It changed human culture by allowing people to hear music and voices from across the world without being physically present.