A new study reveals that iconicity is prevalent across the vocabulary of spoken languages, including English and Spanish. The researchers found that words learned in childhood are the most iconic, which helps children grasp the concept of a word. The study suggests that iconicity plays an important role in word learning and development.
A computer game was used to investigate how people respond to audiovisual distractions, finding that age didn't affect susceptibility. The game helped researchers collect data on attention and learning from irrelevant sounds, with potential applications as a training tool.
Researchers at University of Michigan Health System tested strategically placed sound acoustic panels in hallways around patient rooms, reducing noise by 3-4 decibels. The study found a significant impact on patient satisfaction and hospital scores, highlighting the importance of minimizing noise levels in healthcare environments.
A Northwestern University study found that music training during high school can enhance the teenage brain's responses to sound and sharpen hearing and language skills. The research suggests that music instruction helps improve critical skills for academic success, potentially offsetting negative influences of poverty on sound processing.
A UCLA study found that the Sound Body Sound Mind curriculum tripled the percentage of students who passed California's standardized physical fitness test in under-resourced schools. The program increased students' confidence levels, enjoyment of physical activity, and knowledge about fitness.
Researchers found that human screams occupy a reserved chunk of the auditory spectrum and activate a range of acoustic information. Screams have a property called roughness, which refers to how fast a sound changes in loudness, making them more terrifying.
A team of neuroscientists identified a specific acoustic characteristic called 'roughness' that is unique to screams. This trait refers to how fast the sound changes in loudness, and it's measured in Hertz (Hz), typically between 30-150 Hz.
Chinese scientists created a tunable membrane material that effectively recreates the quantum tunneling effect for sound waves. The material has an effective density near zero and enables high transmission around sharp corners and efficient wave splitting.
Research suggests that increased connections between sensory cells and nerve cells in the inner ear of aging mice may be contributing to age-related hearing loss. This finding could lead to new ideas for treating or preventing this condition in humans.
Researchers at UB investigated how humans and birds process overlapping sounds, discovering that timing and complexity play crucial roles in sound segregation. Their studies used both humans and budgerigars, showing similarities between species in processing auditory objects.
Dr. Carl Wunsch, a pioneer in ocean acoustic tomography, is recognized for his distinguished research on sound and the sea. His work has greatly improved our understanding of sound propagation in the ocean.
Researchers at Ohio State University have confirmed and interpreted experimental findings using OSC services, showing that phonons have magnetic properties. A magnetic field reduced the amount of heat flowing through a semiconductor by 12 percent in simulations performed on the Oakley Cluster.
Researchers aim to identify annoying features of wind power plants from people's experiences in Finnish climatic conditions. A real-time feedback system and statistical models will be used to model the formation and dissemination of sound.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute found that playing natural sounds in offices boosts worker moods and improves cognitive abilities. The study tested three different sound stimuli: typical office noises with a conventional masking signal, an office soundscape with a 'natural' masker, and an office soundscape with no masker.
Researchers found that 6-month-old infants prefer listening to infant sounds over adult sounds, which could aid in learning how to talk. This preference may also help infants develop their own voice, a crucial step in speech production.
The UNSW research provides new insight into hearing loss and improves cochlear implant functionality, enabling better sound localisation in noisy conditions and protecting against noise damage. The study's findings suggest a potential link to age-related hearing loss and aim to develop more accurate soundscapes.
Researchers found that toddlers, especially those with siblings, understand the behavioral effects of different types of sound on others. Children made loud noises to wake up the doll and quieter noises to let it sleep, showing they understood how their sounds influenced social interactions.
Declines in Pacific herring and surf smelt have been observed in the most densely populated areas of Puget Sound, while jellyfish blooms have increased, diverting energy away from highly productive forage species. This shift may affect larger fish, birds, and marine mammals, highlighting the need for habitat protection and restoration.
Scientists at NPL have developed a new optical method for directly measuring sound pressure, providing direct traceability to fundamental SI base units. This method can be used to calibrate any acoustic device without assumptions regarding geometry and sound field characteristics.
Researchers found that bats, like humans, use hemispheric specialization for sound processing, with left brain better for fast sounds and right for slow ones. This discovery opens new avenues for studying bat brains to understand human language disorders and improve computer speech recognition.
A new study has found that high-pitched sounds can cause seizures in older cats, with certain breeds and triggers identified. The study, published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, reveals that audiogenic reflex seizures (FARS) occur in pedigree and non-pedigree cats, often triggered by loud noises such as crinkling tin fo...
Researchers captured thousands of interactions within a single neuron as it responded to rhythmic clicks, showing how neurons switch from temporal coding to rate coding. This transformation allows the auditory system to process information about time and space, supporting multisensory integration.
Researchers at University of Strathclyde develop miniature directional microphone to tackle sound localization challenges in hearing aids. The new design aims to improve the quality of support for those affected by hearing loss.
Researchers discover that neurons in auditory cortex encode temporal patterns using excitatory and inhibitory inputs. This breakthrough could lead to the development of state-of-the-art neural prosthetic devices capable of mimicking brain coding patterns.
A new study found that sound, light, and temperature levels in pediatric hospital wards vary greatly, leading to sleep deprivation and impacting disease recovery and quality of life. The research highlights the need for consistent clinical standards to be developed to improve children's experience and quality of life.
Researchers developed a microfluidic chip that uses sound waves to separate circulating tumor cells from white blood cells, achieving a throughput rate up to 20 times faster than prior attempts. The device preserves the integrity of separated CTCs and offers a label-free approach without chemically altering the cells.
Echoes and fluctuations in volume are key cues for judging sound distance, a finding that opens up new possibilities for improving hearing aids and prostheses. Researchers used tiny microphones to record rabbit sounds and simulated modulated noise, measuring neural responses in the midbrain.
Researchers at Ohio State University have discovered a way to control heat with magnetic fields, using acoustic phonons to steer heat magnetically. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for energy manipulation, potentially allowing for the control of sound waves as well.
A team of researchers, including Dr. John Pasley, discovered that plasma flowing around stars could create a series of pressure pulses generating sound waves. The frequency was too high for any mammal to hear, making it impossible for humans to detect.
Scientists have successfully recorded sound and audio files onto a non-magnetic plasmonic nanostructure, increasing storage capacity by 5,600 times. The technology uses novel gold nanoantennas to store audio information as a temporally varying intensity waveform or frequency varying intensity waveform.
Researchers found that Puget Sound's water has an average pH of about 7.8, making it acidic for seawater, and is already higher in dissolved carbon dioxide than the Earth's atmosphere. The lab's unique location allows for studying adaptation to these changes.
A new system using sound waves helps detect structural defects in pipes, engines, and nuclear power plants. Researchers have developed a non-destructive testing method that could also be applied to medical imaging and seismology.
Yale University scientists create a new system that combines photons and phonons to conduct sophisticated signal processing tasks, allowing for faster and more efficient information control. The technology has the potential to be less expensive and adaptable to various complex designs.
A team of scientists used barn owls and green anoles to study otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and their biomechanical principles. They found that the emissions originate from similar principles despite anatomical differences, offering new insights into hearing loss in humans.
Researchers found that 'mute' cicadas produce sound by banging their forewing costa against the operculum, a newfound mechanism. This discovery expands our understanding of acoustic signaling in cicadas without tymbal organs.
Researchers at Northwestern University have found a secret bodyguard for the ears - a newly discovered connection from the cochlea to the brain that warns of intense incoming noise. This novel pain system protects the ear from very loud or damaging noise, which may be why people jam their fingers in their ears when exposed to loud soun...
Scientists at Toyohashi University of Technology used supercomputers to model air-reed instrument flow and sound. The study reveals the relationship between shape/material changes and tone generation, paving the way for new musical instrument designs.
A clinical trial led by the University of Southern California has successfully implanted an ABI device in four children who were previously unable to hear. The device stimulates neurons directly at the human brainstem, bypassing the inner ear entirely and showing promising results in young children.
A new study at MIT reveals the secret to the iconic Cremonese violins' powerful sound: elongated f-holes and thicker back plates. Researchers found that makers may have inadvertently crafted these features, as small errors in craftsmanship led to evolutionary changes.
Studies on lungfish and salamander hearing shed light on the evolution of aerial hearing in early terrestrial vertebrates, suggesting they could have detected airborne sound without a tympanic middle ear. The research provides insight into the development of hearing 250-350 million years ago.
A new analysis of seven years of bird sightings by volunteer birdwatchers found increasing trends for 14 species, including cormorants and harlequin ducks. The study suggests that these birds may be turning the corner, with positive trends also reported in nesting surveys.
Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a new acousto-optic device that can shape and steer light beams at speeds never before achieved. The device, which consists of 64 tiny piezo-electric elements, can create complex sound fields that deflect and sculpt light passing through it.
A Brazilian team of researchers has developed a new levitation device that can hover tiny polystyrene particles with more control than any instrument before. The device uses sound waves to reflect off a concave reflector, allowing the particle to be moved around without precise setup.
The study establishes form-invariance of electromagnetic, sound, and elastic wave equations without assuming relations between field variables. New locally accurate elastodynamic equations for inhomogeneous media are derived, leading to the design of perfect elastic wave rotators and cloaks.
A new study by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution researchers has identified the acoustic range and minimum sound sensitivity of cuttlefish. The study found that cuttlefish hear in the same frequency range as fish and can react to sounds in a graded manner, using different behaviors to avoid predators.
A research team from TUM discovered that birds use their oval-shaped heads to transform sound waves, allowing them to identify sounds from different elevation angles. This unique ability combines information from hearing and vision to improve orientation and evading predators.
Researchers have developed a method to extract audio information from high-speed video recordings by detecting vibrations caused by sound waves. The technique, reported in the SPIE journal Optical Engineering, uses an image-matching process based on vibration from sound waves and can recover spoken words from videos.
University of Minnesota engineers have developed a novel device platform that generates and confines both sound wave and light wave on a computer chip. This technology has the potential to improve wireless communications systems using optical fibers and could be used for computation using quantum physics.
Researchers developed technology allowing biobots to pick up sounds with small microphones and pinpoint their source, helping emergency personnel find survivors. The system also includes an invisible fence technology to keep biobots within a defined area.
A team of researchers from Texas is studying the impact of urban noises on captive rhinoceros reproduction. They found that infrasonic sounds, often unnoticed by humans, could be distressing for the animals, negatively impacting their health. To mitigate this effect, zoos can implement simple strategies such as sound-absorbing barriers...
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a way to use high-intensity sound waves to create cellular scaffolding, a unique approach that could help overcome one of regenerative medicine's significant obstacles. The technique involves using boiling histotripsy to decellularize tissues, leaving behind a fibrous network t...
Scientists found that Maculinea butterfly larvae mimic Myrmica ant queen sounds to fool workers into feeding them, even when the real ants are starving. The researchers recorded and analyzed sound signals emitted by both butterflies and ants, finding similarities in patterns between the two.
Researchers propose that ancient cave paintings were inspired by the misinterpretation of sound waves as 'supernatural' echoes. The theory suggests that early humans may have made artwork in response to these echoes, which could have led to the depiction of mythical creatures on cave walls.
A small study found that ultrasound biofeedback was effective in correcting 'r' speech errors when children were allowed to make different shapes with their tongues. The treatment involved using ultrasound images as a guide for tongue manipulation and adjustments to achieve better pronunciation of the sound.
A new technology aims to offer the ultimate listening experience by understanding how the brain perceives vertical sound. Researchers will develop software that converts 2D recordings into 3D using psycho-acoustic analysis and critical listening tests.
Researchers at Lund University have discovered a new learning mechanism in individual nerve cells, which enables the brain to time its reactions and control complex processes like blinking and intelligible speech. This discovery has significant implications for rehabilitation following stroke, autism, ADHD, and language problems.
The researchers used acoustic waves to communicate with an artificial atom, demonstrating phenomena from quantum physics. The study could potentially harness quantum physics to create faster computers by controlling and studying quantum electrical circuits.
A study of 94 undergraduate students found that viewers who watched an excerpt from a Hollywood action film ate 98% more grams of food and 65% more calories than those watching an interview program. The authors suggest that the distracting content of action films may lead to decreased attention to eating and increased food consumption.
Researchers have devised a new way to separate cells by exposing them to sound waves as they flow through a tiny channel, overcoming existing cell-sorting technologies' limitations. The device successfully recovered about 71 percent of breast cancer cells from white blood cells in tests.
Researchers have developed a device that uses tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves to separate cells with minimal energy. The method is gentler than traditional methods like centrifugation and can efficiently sort cells with high purity.