Popular Science - USA (2019-10)

18 WINTER 2019 • POPSCI.COM by Jessica Boddy / illustration by Totto Renna

Gunfire

Actual Measurement

140 to 190 dB,

depending on firearm

the loudest stuff

we’ve ever measured

RANKED

THE BIGGEST CLAMORS

most of us will experience are

things like jackhammers and

jet engines, but the most ear-

shattering noises in existence

Crowd at American

Airlines Center

Actual Measurement

115 dB

Lesser

bulldog bats

Actual Measurement

137 dB

Howler

monkeys

Actual Measurement

140 dB

CA

LC

UL

AT

IO

NS

BY

S

TE

PH

EN

AR

RO

W

SM

ITH

,^ J

EF

FR

EY

JO

HN

SO

N,

JA

KE

AN

DE

RS

ON

According to the

Centers for Disease

Control and Preven-

tion, any noise louder

than 120 decibels can

immediately damage

the tiny hair cells

that help turn vibra-

tions into what our

brains perceive as

sound. Most guns, like

pistols and rifles,

clock in around at

least 140 when fired.

Neglect ing proper

protection often re-

sults in permanent

high-pitched hearing

loss (particularly

s, th, and v sounds)

and tinnitus, or

ringing in the ears.

Most don’t realize

there’s a problem

until it’s too late.

Howler monkeys really

earn their name. The

extra-large hyoid

bones in their vocal

tract house massive

air sacs that amplify

their bombastic

voice to superlative

heights; they are

often regarded as the

loudest of any land

animal. When groups

of them start, well,

howling, the ruckus

is audible from

3 miles away. Prima-

tologists theorize

that the monkeys do

this as a way to tell

any potential intrud-

ers that their

territory is very

much occupied—or

possibly as a way to

guard their mates.

Down in Central and

South America, this

mammal produces an

ear- shattering cry

that would be down-

right painful to us—

if we could hear it,

that is. Their calls

are ultrasonic, mean-

ing their pitch is

above limits of our

perception, so our

feeble human ears fail

to take notice. High-

frequency sound

doesn’t travel excep-

tionally far, hence

the need for an ex-

treme shriek to extend

hunting range. The

bats’ superpowered

volume helps them use

echolocation to zero

in on small, swift

insect meals.

Ahead of the 2011

NBA  playoffs, Dallas

Mavericks owner Mark

Cuban had the team’s

home stadium outfitted

with a revamped

acoustics system.

Micro phones in the

back boards transmitted

sneaker squeaks and

players’ voices

through 60 gargantuan

speakers, which also

amplified and circu-

lated sounds from the

crowd. Fans couldn’t

get enough of the din.

As time expired and

Dallas emerged victo-

rious after a seemingly

impossible comeback,

the audience roared

at 115  decibels—

exactly the threshold

for human pain.