Photo by: Shutterstock

Shutterstock

Sperm Whales Are Loud Enough to Burst Your Eardrums

By: Ashley Hamer

The world's loudest animal happens to live in the ocean.

August 01, 2019

What's the world's loudest animal? You might think the roar of a lion or the trumpet of an elephant is deafening, but it turns out that the loudest call on the planet happens beneath the ocean.

Big Whale, Big Sound

Decibels are the unit scientists use to measure the intensity of sound. An everyday conversation, for example, is around 50 decibels; a jackhammer can top out at 100; and 150 decibels is generally considered enough to burst your eardrums.

The loudest sound ever recorded by NASA was the first stage of the Saturn V rocket in 1967, which thundered at a blistering 204 decibels. That's only slightly larger than the 200-decibel click of a sperm whale's echolocation, which speaks to the animal's impressive power. Pressure waves such as sound travel differently in water than they do in air, however, and the click would sound slightly softer on land, at around 174 decibels. But, hey, still enough to rupture your eardrums.

This raw power comes in handy during echolocation, which the whales use like sonar to hunt for food and navigate the ocean. Scientists once theorized that whales also used their impressive clicks to stun or even kill giant squid, but that theory was proven wrong when a research team played recordings of whales at the appropriate volume for a swarm of prey and were unable to do harm.

This article first appeared on Curiosity.com.

Next Up

These 5 Mythical Animals Turned Out to Be Real

Many animals people once believed these animals were imaginary.

The Stegosaurus Was An Ancient Relic To The T. Rex

These two popular dinosaurs never crossed paths.

New Study from Brazil Makes a Huge Splash in Manta Ray Conservation

One batoid (the skates and rays) that needs no introduction are the manta rays. With 20-ft wingspans, these plankton-loving filter feeders can glide through bright blue oceans as if soaring effortlessly across a cloudless sky.

3 Animals That Mourn Their Dead

Grieving customs aren't just limited to humans.

Most of What You Know About Daddy Longlegs Is Wrong

Daddy longlegs are one of the most venomous critters out there.

This Giant Ichthyosaur Might Have Been Bigger Than a Blue Whale

This normal-looking reptile may be the largest animal that ever existed.

Here's Why Your Cat Sticks Its Butt In Your Face

Contrary to popular belief, cats do like some people.

Rare Blue Ghost Fireflies Only Glow in One Part of North America

These insects emit a glow a yellow-green hue.

This Giant Mushroom Is the Largest Organism Ever

These fungi are larger than blue whales and dinosaurs!