Sounds

Fish Have ‘Talked’ For 155 Million Years, And Now You Can Hear Their ‘Voices’

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All manner of croaks, chirps, and deep trombone moans permeate Earth’s waters, just like the cacophony of sounds that fill its forest air. For example, reefs are surprisingly noisy places, and many of the noisemakers are fish.   “We’ve known for a long time that some fish make sounds, but fish sounds were always perceived as … Read more

Telltale Tsunami Sounds Could Buy More Warning Time

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Editor’s Note (1/18/22): On January 15 the eruption of a volcano near Tonga triggered a far-ranging tsunami. This story about detecting tsunamis created by earthquakes is being republished in light of this event. Buoys operate as today’s state-of-the-art tsunami-detection system. Seismic data can tell officials that an underwater earthquake has occurred, but strategically placed floating … Read more

Sounds of Mosquitoes’ Mating Rituals Could Help Fight Malaria

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The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that almost half the world’s population was at risk of malaria, while some 627,000 people died from the disease. Although a malaria vaccine may soon be available (the WHO recommended one for children last … Read more

Do Auroras Make Sounds We Can Hear? The True Answer Is Surprisingly Complicated

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It’s a question that has puzzled observers for centuries: do the fantastic green and crimson light displays of the aurora borealis produce any discernible sound? Conjured by the interaction of solar particles with gas molecules in Earth’s atmosphere, the aurora generally occurs near Earth’s poles, where the magnetic field is strongest. Reports of the aurora … Read more

NASA Releases Ghostly Sounds Recorded at Ganymede by The Juno Probe

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In another context, Jupiter‘s moon Ganymede might have been a planet. As the largest moon in our Solar System, it’s one of the most intriguing locations in the neighborhood. Which is great, because it just so happens that Jupiter probe Juno is in the vicinity. Now, it’s sent back some curious noises.    On 7 June … Read more