Hear · Beneath the Bones

THE SCIENCE OF WHALE SONG

Infrasound — Beyond Human Hearing

Blue whales produce the loudest sounds of any animal on Earth — reaching 188 decibels. Their calls are below 20 Hz, inaudible to humans without technology. What you will hear is a pitch-shifted recording, made audible for this experience.

188 dB

Peak Volume

Louder than a jet engine at takeoff — the most powerful biological sound ever recorded

10–40 Hz

Frequency Range

Below the threshold of human hearing — we feel these sounds more than hear them

1,600 km

Call Range

Blue whale songs can travel across entire ocean basins to communicate with others

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Blue Whale Vocalization — Sri Lankan Waters

Recorded via hydrophone · Pitch-shifted for audibility

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TYPES OF CALLS

What Is the Whale Saying?

D Calls — Contact Calls

Short, frequency-modulated pulses used between individuals for social contact. Often heard in feeding aggregations off the coast of Sri Lanka between November and April.

Frequency: 80–100 Hz · Duration: 0.5–1 sec

Songs — Long-Range Communication

Repeating low-frequency patterns produced primarily by males. These stereotyped sequences can last for hours and travel thousands of kilometres through deep ocean channels.

Frequency: 10–40 Hz · Duration: 20+ seconds per unit

Arch Notes — Feeding Context

Rising tonal calls associated with krill patches and coordinated feeding behaviour. The specific patterns vary by ocean region, suggesting regional dialects among blue whale populations.

Frequency: 25–100 Hz · Duration: 2–5 sec

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The full immersive experience — sight, sound, and touch

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