Unhearable: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• The prefix 'un-' means 'not' or 'opposite of,' while 'hear' relates to perceiving sounds.
• The word is formed by adding 'able' to 'unhear,' meaning it's possible to not hear something.
• Similar words like 'invisible' follow the same pattern, showing how we describe things we can't perceive in various ways.

Science

• Humans can typically hear sounds between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz, with anything beyond this range being unhearable.
• Certain animals, like bats and dolphins, can hear frequencies much higher than humans, making some sounds unhearable to us.
• Ultrasound technology uses high-frequency sound waves that are unhearable to humans but are useful in medical imaging.

Psychology

• Unhearable sounds can impact our mental state; for instance, very low frequencies might cause discomfort, even if we don’t notice them.
• The concept of an unhearable sound relates to selective hearing, where our brain chooses what sounds to pay attention to.
• Some studies suggest that background sounds that are unhearable can subtly influence our emotions and behavior.

Art and Music

• Musicians often create compositions that include unhearable frequencies to create a richer sound experience for listeners.
• The use of silence in music can make certain elements unhearable, drawing attention to what is played or sung.
• Artists experiment with sound installations where certain frequencies are meant to be unhearable, yet still affect the environment.

Technology

• Noise-cancelling headphones work by producing sound waves that are the exact opposite (anti-phase) of unwanted noise, making it unhearable.
• In telecommunications, certain frequencies are made unhearable to human listeners to prevent interference between channels.
• Some security devices emit sounds that are unhearable to humans but can be detected by specific animal species for surveillance.