What is the loudest sound you have ever heard? The sound of firecrackers, construction sounds, the shouting of a group of people… these sounds are nothing. The loudest sounds in the world can be fatal.
The unit of volume “decibel” is very special. Every increase of 10 decibels means that it is 10 times louder than the original sound.
204 decibels: American Saturn 5 rocket
The American Saturn 5 rocket flew for the first time in 1967. The sound of the rocket was as high as 204 decibels, which was enough to knock down nearby buildings. Such a volume will directly kill the astronauts in the spacecraft. Fortunately, at that time, Saturn 5 was carrying out a simulated round-the-earth flight without manned. Because of this, the rockets that people will develop later will be equipped with sound wave suppression systems to ensure the safety of the astronauts.
140 decibels: howler monkey
Howler monkeys living in the tropical rainforests of South America are the loudest of all land animals. They can emit a series of sounds similar to thunder, the volume can reach 140 decibels, the penetrating power is amazing, and it can be heard from 5 kilometers away. They can stun prey or drive away enemies by calling.
If people hear this sound at close range, they will feel pain in both ears. Even if the sound is not heard for a long time, the ears may suffer permanent damage.
230 decibels: sperm whale
The sperm whale can be called the loudest animal in the world. Their heads can make a ticking call with a volume of up to 230 decibels, which is louder than the sound of a ton of explosives. If humans hear such a sound at close range, their eardrums will be directly shattered and they will die.
However, sperm whales live in water. The water is denser than air, and the sound will be weakened when it travels through the water. The sound of sperm whales is only about 174 decibels in the ocean, but this is enough to be heard by their companions hundreds of kilometers away.
300 decibels: Tunguska explosion
In 1908, a huge explosion occurred near the Tunguska River in Siberia, Russia. The destructive power of the explosion was astonishing. It destroyed more than 80 million trees within 820 square kilometers. Its cause may be a meteorite impact. According to data, the volume of the explosion was as high as 300 decibels, and a sound of this intensity could easily blast nearby people into the air.
315 decibels: Krakatau volcano erupts
In 1883, the Krakatau volcano in Indonesia erupted. This was one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history. This event also created the loudest sound in history.
The sound produced at the center of the volcanic eruption is as high as 315 decibels. The volume is so loud that people from 5,000 kilometers away can hear it clearly. The sound wave disappears after going around the earth 4 times. At that time, people who were 64 kilometers away from the volcano had their eardrums shattered, and the glass of a building 160 kilometers away was shattered. If someone were on the Krakatau volcano island at that time, the shock wave generated by this sound might make their bones disappear instantly.
280 decibels: Soviet tsar bomb
The hydrogen bomb made in the former Soviet Union, the “Tsar bomb”, is the largest in size, weight, and power among all types of bombs detonated by humans. It was tested for explosion in 1961, and the volume of the explosion center reached 280 decibels. People from 483 kilometers away could hear the loud noise. The shock wave generated by the sound was enough to flatten the surrounding small buildings. People near the explosion site will die tragically as their internal organs and bones are shattered.
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