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.
What You Will See: Minke, Fin, and Humpback Whales. When To Go: April to October. The World Wildlife Fund has named Massachusetts one of the top 10 whale-watching spots in the world. Many of the local companies claim a 99% whale-spotting success with seeing minke, fin, and humpback whales.