Nov 2

The Curious Case of the Vibrating Caimans

I want to thank William R. for sending this to me. Infrasound, sometimes referred to as low-frequency sound, is sound that is lower in frequency than 20 Hz or cycles per second, the “normal” limit of human hearing. Hearing becomes gradually less sensitive as frequency decreases, so for humans to perceive infrasound, the sound pressure must be sufficiently high. The ear is the primary organ for sensing infrasound, but at higher intensities it is possible to feel infrasound vibrations in various parts of the body.

The study of such sound waves is sometimes referred to as infrasonics, covering sounds beneath 20 Hz down to 0.1 Hz and rarely to 0.001 Hz. People use this frequency range for monitoring earthquakes, charting rock and petroleum formations below the earth, and also in ballistocardiography and seismocardiography to study the mechanics of the heart.

Infrasound is characterized by an ability to cover long distances and get around obstacles with little dissipation. In music, acoustic waveguide methods, such as a large pipe organ or, for reproduction, exotic loudspeaker designs such as transmission line, rotary woofer, or traditional subwoofer designs can produce low-frequency sounds, including near-infrasound. Subwoofers designed to produce infrasound are capable of sound reproduction an octave or more below that of most commercially available subwoofers, and are often about 10 times the size.

6 Responses to “The Curious Case of the Vibrating Caimans”

    • Glen K

      (New Jersey) Very Funny, Paul! Nothing to do with Bigfoot, but why are most men pervs? As soon as I read “vibrating caimans”, I imagined a sexual connotation, even though I had no idea what that meant! Oh well. More on topic, I never knew someone could SEE the effects of infrasound!! But, here we saw the water vibrating! Interesting.

  1. Paul T

    Yep Sorry No Intent to Offend but it was a plump Piñata hung low in my Wheelhouse had to swing. It is of extreme interest to see Infrasound manifest in this physical way. Also of interest is that a creature with as Base an intelligence as these adhering to a social type of respect without violent interaction amongst the Males of the species.

  2. Melissa K

    The water shows the sound waves so, could be that if a BF emits infrasound in the air that is why people feel like their insides are shaken? Interesting. By the way I have had all kinds of wild life in my yard but, I would be afraid to go outside if an alligator or a crocodile was out there!

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