By Stephen Ornes
August 20, 2012
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/08/elephant-songs/
Did you know that Elephants can anticipate natural disasters such as the 2004 tsunami but that is not their only characteristic. In fact scientists have discovered elephants sing. These low tunes that come from them are too low for the human ear to hear. Scientists think elephants make this sounds just like cats purr- by squeezing muscles near the voice box or larynx. The Elephants larynx is just like the human larynx, except it is 8 times bigger which leads to lower sounds.
"Such ultralow sound frequencies are known as “infrasonic” notes, or “infrasound.” The sounds can travel as far as 10 kilometers (6.6 miles) in the air. (For comparison, the song notes audible to humans travel only about 800 meters through air.) The superlow songs may also vibrate the ground, sending infrasonic signals even farther. The researchers mimicked the lowest part of the song by blowing air through the larynx of an elephant that had died. The experiment showed that just rushing air passing through the larynx makes the fundamental sound of the song. "
Since I was a really little child I've always liked elephants however I never knew that they could sing, it is amazing how scientists figure some stuff out. :)
August 20, 2012
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/08/elephant-songs/
Did you know that Elephants can anticipate natural disasters such as the 2004 tsunami but that is not their only characteristic. In fact scientists have discovered elephants sing. These low tunes that come from them are too low for the human ear to hear. Scientists think elephants make this sounds just like cats purr- by squeezing muscles near the voice box or larynx. The Elephants larynx is just like the human larynx, except it is 8 times bigger which leads to lower sounds. "Such ultralow sound frequencies are known as “infrasonic” notes, or “infrasound.” The sounds can travel as far as 10 kilometers (6.6 miles) in the air. (For comparison, the song notes audible to humans travel only about 800 meters through air.) The superlow songs may also vibrate the ground, sending infrasonic signals even farther. The researchers mimicked the lowest part of the song by blowing air through the larynx of an elephant that had died. The experiment showed that just rushing air passing through the larynx makes the fundamental sound of the song. "
Since I was a really little child I've always liked elephants however I never knew that they could sing, it is amazing how scientists figure some stuff out. :)
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