Sound

Nearly 60 years after American folk duo Simon & Garfunkel sang their earworm tune “The Sound of Silence,” three researchers have resurrected the age-old question as to whether the absence of noise is something we can hear and our brains can interpret.

EPFL researchers have developed a 100% effective, ultra-thin active noise cancelling system that uses an ionized air plasma propulsion system instead of speakers. A 17-mm-thick (0.6-in) layer can block 20 Hz noise as well as a 4-m-thick (13-ft) wall.

Shoegaze heroes My Bloody Valentine are one of the loudest bands on Earth, so much so their wall of sound has even caused buildings to crack. Chief noisemaker Kevin Shields has now made a pedal so you can DIY your own guitar-triggered home demolition.

Bowers & Wilkins’ iconic Nautilus loudspeaker has gotten a stunning pearly makeover for its 30th anniversary, inspired by the mollusk its named after. But you might want to add it to the dream pile: standard models currently have a two-year waitlist.

Researchers have developed a breakthrough ultrasound method that uses shear waves to, for the first time, measure tension in human tissue. The discovery has to the potential to revolutionize disease diagnosis.

While there are some mechanical problems that can easily be detected by a car's onboard sensors, there are others which are a bit trickier. The V2M system is designed to catch those other ones, by listening for them using onboard modules.

Scientists have created “acoustic holograms” that can assemble matter into 3D objects, using just sound. The technique works with various types of particles and even living cells, allowing for a new kind of 3D printing that’s fast and contact-free.

For some time now, a nanomaterial known as MXene has been touted as a faster-charging alternative to the lithium used in batteries. It could soon be an even more viable choice, as scientists have devised a method of making it last much longer.

A new study has reported on the first human tests of an experimental therapy using sound and light to treat Alzheimer's disease. The initial results are promising, with the treatment leading to some neurological and cognitive improvements.

If you've ever listened to death metal rock or Mongolian throat singing, you'll be familiar with the growling vocals that are part of both. Well, bats make similar sounds, and it turns out that they do so in the same manner as human singers.

If you're at home alone, you may be reluctant to use headphones or do anything else that keeps you from hearing noises such as ringing doorbells. That's where Earzz comes in, as it's designed to listen for those noises, and alert you when they occur.

Birds sing, dogs bark and turtles – well, talk in their way too. A new study has found a range of “mute” species do actually vocalize, and concluded that all acoustic communication can be traced back to a single ancestor more than 400 million years ago.