The first megaphone was supposedly designed in the 17th century by Athanasius Kircher, a German-born scholar and renowned inventor.
These megaphones could be used to eavesdrop on large crowds or employees, seemingly listening or speaking through talking heads or statues. In many ways, sound itself was a technology of the old world.
Athanasius Kircher was arguably a genius and one of my favorite scholars from the 17th century. Most notably, he was recognized as a master of 100 arts and one of the first scholars to achieve “global” recognition. It’s no wonder his work was both diverse and ahead of its time.
He had a clear interest in technology and machinery. His manuscripts exhibit machinery and mechanisms that resemble modern designs. Yet his curiosity was boundless—he published over 40 works on various subjects, including geology, medicine, and religion. He also developed some of the first projectors, cameras, and the first megaphone.
Athanasius Kircher remains an influential figure in technology, even by today’s standards, reminding us just how advanced those before us truly were.
