Loud
noises occur every day. Wincing at the annoyance of a dog bark, or
covering your ears as you pass a construction sight is the standard way
to guard against the harsh sounds. The pain threshold for humans is 120-130 Decibels. Any sound above 85 dB can cause hearing loss,
and the loss is related both to the power of the sound as well as the
length of exposure. Here are 10 sounds produced throughout history and
how incredibly loud they are. Just remember, human speech is only
registered at about 25-35decibels.
10. Rock Concert/Speakers
A
400,000 Wat rock concert or a similar set of speakers mounted in a
vehicle can reach ear-splitting decibel levels. Is it any reason most
promoters recommend you wear ear protection to stave off the 135-145 decibel sound waves?
9. Fireworks
Though not typically heard up close, fireworks are still explosions and are very loud. The sound heard from the
sky is pretty loud, though not damaging, but at the bursting point the
decibel levels reach a staggering 145-150. Even tests are performed
under strict sound proofing to avoid any ear injury.
8. Gunfire
Gunfire
for anyone unfortunate enough to be standing near it can be quite
damaging to the ears registering at a quite loud 145-155decibels. This
is the very reason why you should always wear ear protection when on a
firing range.
7. NHRA Dragsters
Sitting
next to a dragster as it fires up its engines and screams down the
raceway can be more than just loud; it can be damaging to your entire
body. At the 155-160 Decibel range not only will it severely to
permanently damage your hearing, but it also vibrates your vision and
makes it temporarily difficult to swallow. That’s why no one stands next
to them.
6. Space Shuttle Launch
When
the rockets fire, it is wise and, in fact, fully enforced, that you
stand at least a half-mile away lest you get inundated by
165-170decibels of painful sound. Unlike many other loud noises, the
shuttle rocket sound is constant as it creates the thrust necessary to
lift itfrom the ground.
5. The Blue Whale
Blue
whales mostly emit very loud, highly structured, repetitive
low-frequency rumbling sounds that can travel for many miles underwater.
These songs may be used for communicating
with other blue whales, especially in order to attract and find mates.
The call of the blue whale reaches levels up to 188 decibels. This
extraordinarily loud whistle can be heard for hundreds of miles
underwater. The whale is the loudest, and, the largest animal on earth.
4. Volcano – Krakatoa
The
1883 the Krakatoa eruption ejected more than 25 cubic kilometres of
rock, ash, and pumice and generated the loudest sound historically
reported at 180Decibels : the cataclysmic explosion was distinctly heard
as far away as Perth in Australia approx. 1,930 miles (3,110 km), and
the island of Rodrigues near Mauritius approx. 3,000 miles (5,000 km).
3. 1-Ton TNT Bomb
Standing
as close as 250 feet away from the impact, the resulting explosion from
a 1 ton bomb creates a decibel count of 210. Without sufficient hearing protection,
not to mention a complete sound-resistant bunker surrounding you, you
could quite literally die from the intense vibrations that would
literally shake you apart. Unless, of course, you were under the bomb.
2. 5.0 Richter Earth Quake
A
sufficient enough quake to rend the ground in twain and destroy
buildings, whole rock, and human life reaches a decibel level of 235. If
you are caught in the epicenter and are unlucky enough to not be above
the ground in a plane or helicopter, the intense noise and vibrations
could kill you long before death by any falling object.
1. Tunguska Meteor
The
Tunguska event was a massive explosion that occurred near the
Podkamennaya (Under Rock) Tunguska River in what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai
of Russia, at 7:40 AM on June 30, 1908. The explosion was most likely
caused by the air burst of a large meteoroid or comet fragment at an
altitude of 5 to 10 kilometers (3–6 mi) above Earth’s surface. It was
measured with the similar impact of a 1000-Mega-ton bomb with a decibel
rating 300-315. This is often considered to be the loudest single-event
in history.
Bonus: Lake Taupo Eruption
Lake
Taupo is a large lake in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand.
The lake is the caldera that resulted from a massive volcanic erruption
in 180 AD. It is New Zealand’s largest eruption in 20,000 years. It
ejected around 120 cubic kilometers of material, of which 30 cubic
kilometers were ejected in the space of a few minutes. It is believed
that the eruption column was 50 kilometres high, twice as high as the
eruption column from Mount St. Helens in 1980. The resulting ash turned
the sky red over Rome and China. This eruption was reportedly heard in
China. Lake Taupo today, is one of New Zealand’s popular tourist attractions
for its beauty and swimming. The fact that the lake is the largest
fresh water lake in Australasia, and approximately the same size as
Singapore, ensures it is a huge ‘must do’ component to many tourists.
Source: http://listverse.com/2007/11/30/top-10-loudest-noises/
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