Sound

Scientists have digitally recreated the sound of a long-lost species of insect, not seen since 1869, by creating 3D scans of its wings. The specifics of the tune could help track down living specimens in the wild – if there are any left.

Engineers at Cornell University have developed a new wearable device that can monitor a person’s facial expressions through sonar and recreate them on a digital avatar. Removing cameras from the equation could alleviate privacy concerns.

Whether they're in cars, buildings or airplanes, most of today's noise-blocking acoustic tiles are made of petrochemical-derived foam. A more eco-friendly alternative may be on the way, however, in the form of seaweed-derived membranes.

A fascinating study has shed light on the phenomenon of using sound for pain relief. Using state-of-the-art brain-imaging techniques, researchers discovered the neural mechanism by which sound reduces pain sensitivity, and reported some unexpected results.

Traditional computer chips run on electricity, while the emerging photonic chips use light. Now, scientists at Harvard have demonstrated a new kind of chip that transmits data in the form of sound waves.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have presented some remarkable audio from a new optical microphone system that uses cameras to see and reconstruct sonic vibrations. Remarkably, it can cleanly separate a single instrument playing in a group.

Two years ago, scientists at the University of Bristol discovered that some moths evade bats via sound-absorbing scales on their body. New research now suggests that wallpaper inspired by those scales could be used to block out unwanted noises.

In an effort to keep the world's coral reefs from disappearing forever, a number of reef restoration projects are currently underway … but how can scientists tell if any one of those projects is working? The answer may lie in listening to the reefs.

A team of researchers has reported the development of an algorithm that can translate the emotional state of pigs from the sound of their grunts. The researchers indicate the system could be used to monitor the well-being of pigs on a farm in real-time.

Regrowing or replacing bone lost to disease is tricky and often painful. In a new study Australian researchers have found a relatively simple way to induce stem cells to turn into bone cells quickly and efficiently, using high-frequency sound waves.

We generally don't think of fish as being a vocal bunch – after all, anglers don't typically use "fish calls" to lure them in. According to a new study, however, approximately two-thirds of all fish species probably use sound to communicate.

If you hear gunshots in an urban setting, it's important to get the police to their source as quickly as possible. A new system is being developed to help, by combining autonomous drones with an existing shot-locating technology.