SCIENCES OF THE 21ST CENTURY – ACOUSTICS, THE EFFECT OF SOUND

Loud noise makes us ill. This is something we've known for a long time. Sound scientist Professor Jürgen Hellbrück examines the effects of sound on human health. The psychologist is interested first in audible sound, which causes most complaints. But what about non-audible noise that is below the human hearing range, the so-called infrasound? Is this harmful too? For example, when air-conditioning systems or heat pumps in buildings are poorly insulated and produce a very high infrasound level? The fact of the matter is: infrasound is a natural phenomenon that surrounds us constantly. Waves, storms and volcanoes, for example, also produce infrasound. But many people still blame physical ailments on infrasound. Helicopters also produce infrasound, but it's usually the audible noise residents hear during night-time air rescue operations that they complain about. Engineers are trying to develop new technologies that will make helicopters significantly quieter. The sound of a product is also crucial for its sales success. This is why car producers invest enormous amounts of money and effort into studying the wind noise of their vehicles in acoustic wind tunnels. Join us to discover some fascinating facts from the different areas of sound research.