Thomas Edison 'listened' to pianos by biting them, and could have left his mark on one

Robert Friedman points out possible bite marks from Thomas Edison on a Steinway grand piano once owned by the inventor, on Sept. 28, 2022, in Woodstock, N.Y. Edison, who was hard of hearing, bit into phonographs and pianos to help him better experience music. Friedman purchased the piano last year and hopes to find a home for it where it can be seen by the public. – Photo: AP

Hard of hearing, Thomas Edison found a unique way to appreciate piano music. As someone played, the great inventor would lean in close to the instrument, right above the keys, and he'd bite the piano.

Pressing his teeth into the wood of phonographs and pianos helped Edison experience the vibrations in his skull. Or in his own words, it allowed him to "hear through my teeth.”