The Phonautograph and Precursors to Edison's Phonograph. An 1859 Koenig phonautograph. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution.) While Thomas Edison is rightly credited with the invention of the cylinder phonograph and the means of playing back sound, his ideas were clearly influenced by numerous others who preceded him.
The best time to go whale watching in Oahu is November through May, as these months see the arrival of the humpback whales on their migration from Alaska. These creatures can weigh up to 45 tons, and marine specialists estimate that some 10,000 of them spend their winters near the Hawaiian islands.
Whale watchers aboard a Monterey Bay Whale Watch boat get a glimpse of a bule whale. Whale watchers aboard a Monterey Bay Whale Watch boat get a glimpse of a bule whale. The highest number of whales swim by Point Reyes in Dec. - Feb., but now's the time to see calves. Mothers and babies will come close to shore in late April and early May.