United States
On February 11, 1878, Thomas Edison earned the patent for his phonograph, the first machine capable of recording and reproducing sound. The invention used a tinfoil-covered cylinder and a stylus to capture vibrations. Edison demonstrated it by recording himself reciting “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” The phonograph revolutionized communication and entertainment, laying the foundation for the music and recording industries. It also marked one of Edison’s earliest major contributions to modern technology.
