Editing Phonautograph (section)

== Legacy and influence ==
Although the phonautograph was not capable of sound playback and was originally conceived as a tool for studying acoustics, its invention laid essential groundwork for the development of sound recording technologies.<ref>Sterne, Jonathan. ''The Audible Past: Cultural Origins of Sound Reproduction.'' Durham: Duke University Press, 2003. ISBN 0-8223-3097-4.</ref> Scott de Martinville’s conceptual leap—the idea that sound could be captured and visually inscribed—prefigured the audio revolution that would follow decades later.

When [[Thomas Edison]] introduced the [[phonograph]] in 1877, he was likely unaware of Scott’s earlier work.<ref>Sterne, Jonathan. ''The Audible Past: Cultural Origins of Sound Reproduction.'' Durham: Duke University Press, 2003. ISBN 0-8223-3097-4.</ref> Unlike the phonautograph, Edison’s device could both record and reproduce sound, making it commercially viable and historically celebrated. However, Scott’s phonautograph represented a key conceptual milestone: the translation of sound waves into a physical medium.

Scott’s contributions remained largely unknown outside of niche academic circles until the early 21st century. The recovery and playback of the phonautograms by the [[First Sounds Project]] spurred renewed interest in Scott’s work and emphasized his underappreciated role in the history of sound recording.<ref>"First Sounds Project." [https://www.firstsounds.org/]</ref> Historians and scholars now recognize the phonautograph as a pioneering invention that bridged the gap between scientific study and artistic expression, and as a precursor to the modern audio industry. As technology continues to evolve, Scott’s vision of capturing sound in a tangible form remains foundational