Audio and Sound Blog
The BigSoundBank blog explores the world of sound: acoustic discoveries, audio technology, hearing health, culture, and creative projects—a clear, accessible feed for enthusiasts and professionals. You can also send me your information (scientific articles or studies, news, press releases for sound-related events, calls for projects, etc.) so I can share them.
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All articles - Science
Why Do Shoes Squeak?
Harvard physicists have cracked the mystery of squeaky sneakers. The answer lies in supersonic waves invisible to the naked eye.... Read more →
Crack and Bang: Butler’s Audio Investigation
In Butler, audio forensics used the crack/bang pattern to estimate distance, count shots, and clarify a timeline for an investigation.... Read more →
Noise modes: Direct, Use, Induced
How to distinguish direct, use and induced noises in our soundscapes, from the mailbox flap to flag cables rattling in the wind.... Read more →
When the World Speaks in Human Sound Effects
A global tour of paralinguistic sounds: whistles, snaps, clicks, tuts, sighs. Human “foley” that carries emotion across languages.... Read more →
When a Starling Becomes a Living Hard Drive
A musician converted a bird drawing into sound and taught it to a starling. The bird memorized and reproduced it perfectly, storing 176 KB of data biologically.... Read more →
The Bird that “Sings” With its Wings
The club-winged manakin doesn’t sing. It makes a clean, stable note around 1500 Hz by vibrating specialized wing feathers up to 107 times per second.... Read more →
Forensic Audio: When a Sound Becomes Evidence
Between cleanup, authentication, and voice analysis, forensic audio turns a simple sound recording into evidence in the age of deepfakes.... Read more →
Understanding the Sonic Boom
Clear explanation of the sonic boom during supersonic flight: how it forms and how it's perceived.... Read more →
Acoustic Rainbow: Passive Spatial Decomposition of Sound
A passive device redirects the different frequencies of white noise into distinct directions, creating an “acoustic rainbow.” Discovery, principles, applications.... Read more →
Ingenuity's Sound: Deeper than on Earth?
Perseverance rover recorded the sound of the Ingenuity drone on Mars. But why does it sound deeper than it would on Earth? Here's a scientific breakdown.... Read more →
The World Record for Silence: –24.9 dBA
The world record for silence reaches –24.9 dBA in an anechoic chamber built by Orfield Laboratories. A closer look at this unique acoustic achievement.... Read more →
When Flowers Listen to Bees
Recent studies reveal that some plants, like snapdragons and evening primroses, respond to the buzzing of bees by producing sweeter nectar—highlighting a form of sonic communication between flowers and pollinators.... Read more →
The Mystery of the Sound of the Northern Lights
Are the mesmerizing northern lights accompanied by audible sounds? Let's explore testimonies, scientific studies, and the perspectives offered by Caspar Henderson in A Natural History of Sound.... Read more →
Noise-Making Animals
In the animal kingdom, some produce sounds with their voices, others by striking, rubbing, or vibrating. But there is a distinct category: the "noise-makers," which generate sound without vocalization. Focus on these masters of noise, and on a unique case—the rattlesnake.... Read more →
The Sonic Mystery of the "Bio-Duck"
Since the 1960s, a strange underwater sound, nicknamed "Bio-Duck," has puzzled scientists. Discover how this mystery was solved and what it reveals about Antarctic whales.... Read more →
Sound Waves in Seawater and Freshwater
Discover why sound waves dissipate more in seawater, a phenomenon linked to the unique chemistry of boric acid.... Read more →
The Music of Blobs and the Emergence of Organic Sounds
A fascinating exploration of sound created by blobs using electrical signals transformed into music.... Read more →
Does a Tidy Room "Resonate"?
A tidy room sometimes seems more resonant than a cluttered space. Is it an illusion or an acoustic reality? Let's break down the phenomena at play.... Read more →
Identifying Viruses Through Sound
A recent study explores how nanoscopic acoustic vibrations of viruses can be measured using ultrafast spectroscopy, paving the way for new approaches in virus biophysics.... Read more →
The "Sound Camera Obscura" Effect
Explore a fascinating sound phenomenon inspired by the famous optical "Camera Obscura" and its potential applications.... Read more →
Kongthong, the Village Where Names are Melodies
Explore Kongthong, an extraordinary Indian village where every person has a "sung name," a unique tradition that turns identities into melodies.... Read more →
Colors of Noise
Discover the different types of colored noise, from white noise to green noise, including brown noise. Explore their characteristics and applications in scientific, musical, and audiovisual fields.... Read more →