[Dixielandjazz] Who can spot the flaw in this story?

Bill Gunter jazzboard at hotmail.com
Fri Jul 23 16:56:33 PDT 2004


Dave Richoux asks:

>Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Who can spot the flaw in this story?

The story begins: "Queen Victoria, Abraham Lincoln, Florence Nightingale and 
other characters from history may soon be able to speak again, as scientists 
perfect techniques to recover the sound from recordings that are far too 
delicate to be played."

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865.

Edison's Biography says: "In 1877, Edison invented the carbon-button 
transmitter that is still used in telephone speakers and microphones. In 
December of the same year, he unveiled the tinfoil phonograph. (It was 10 
years before the phonograph was available as a commercial product). In the 
late 1870s, backed by leading financiers including J.P. Morgan and the 
Vanderbilts, Edison established the Edison Electric Light Company."

It would be some trick for Lincoln to record anything on a device that 
wasn't invented until 12 years after his death.

Cheers,

Bill Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com





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