The first sound recording device wasn't Thomas Edison's phonograph of 1877, but the phonautograph, patented by Frenchman Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville in 1857. While the device couldn't play back his recordings, an 1860 10-second phonautogram of a girl singing was rendered playable by scientists earlier this year in Berkeley, Calif. This is now the earliest known recorded human voice.

Cynthia update: Thanks to all who wrote with famous Cynthias that we didn't think of. The three most famous Cynthias, in our humble opinion: actress Cynthia Nixon of "Sex and the City," ABC News anchor Cynthia McFadden (Ms.

McFadden is the executor of the estate of Katharine Hepburn), and pop songwriter Cynthia Weil.

What is the world's smallest mammal? Depending on your definition of "smallest," two species seem to be in contention for the title: the Etruscan shrew and a species of:
A) Mouse
B) Bat
C) Kangaroo
D) Rabbit

Previous answer: The only two incumbent U.S. senators to be elected president in the last 100 years were Warren Harding in 1920 and John Kennedy in 1960.

TRIVIA FANS: Send the trivia questions you've always wanted answered, or original TriviaBits ideas of your own, with your full name and hometown, to Stan Newman at StanTrivia@aol.com or on a postcard to P.O. Box 69, Massapequa Park, NY 11762.