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Topic: Is it true? (Read 6048 times) |
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BNC
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Is it true?
« on: Dec 27th, 2004, 2:49am » |
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This story used to appear in (I think) Borland's C++ help file"
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True story: 7 Hz is the resonant frequency of a chicken's skull cavity. This was determined empirically in Australia, where a new factory generating 7-Hz tones was located too close to a chicken ranch: When the factory started up, all the chickens died.
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I can't find it in any of the "urban legends" sites I know. Does any of you know if it's true or false?
Thanks!
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towr
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Re: Is it true?
« Reply #1 on: Dec 27th, 2004, 3:43am » |
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It's doubtfull it's true (haven't checked yet). Infrasound can be dangerous to people and (other) animals, but it would have to be rather loud.
I think 10-15 Hz is about the range where you start feeling ghosts 
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| « Last Edit: Dec 27th, 2004, 3:45am by towr » |
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BNC
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Re: Is it true?
« Reply #2 on: Dec 27th, 2004, 4:44am » |
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I realize it sounds like an urban legend... however it is possible. If chicken skull do have a single resonant frequency, then rather small intensity sound waves may result in a large damage.
The thing is, I'm about to introduce the concept of resonance to my students. It's a "nice" story to tell -- if it's true.
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towr
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Re: Is it true?
« Reply #3 on: Dec 27th, 2004, 5:45am » |
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It does have to be high intensity sound. You have to get more energy into it than goes out. That's why you can't break a glass just by singing (another urban legend)
Of course, even though the chickens head may not explode (or be otherwise damaged physically), they may get sick enough to stop eating, or stress out, and die anyway.
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| « Last Edit: Dec 27th, 2004, 5:49am by towr » |
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John_Gaughan
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Re: Is it true?
« Reply #4 on: Dec 29th, 2004, 11:52am » |
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I play bass guitar, and I can see effects even around 110 Hz ("A" string, two octaves below A440). Random objects in my house will vibrate, enough that living creatures are affected (e.g. my cat will get up and move). If I crank the volume the effects are stronger, but still don't hurt anything. Like towr mentioned, I haven't broken any glasses or dishes or windows or anything, at least not without dropping them
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Icarus
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Re: Is it true?
« Reply #5 on: Dec 29th, 2004, 2:16pm » |
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I suspect this is true, to some extent (it may not be true that all the chickens died). But I am sure the deaths were caused by stress effects as towr as mentioned, and not by actual physical damage from the sound.
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John_Gaughan
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Re: Is it true?
« Reply #6 on: Dec 29th, 2004, 6:44pm » |
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I think it would probably take at least 100 dB before the sound waves caused physical harm, depending on the exact animal in question. According to Wikipedia, 130 dB is the threshold of pain.
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Noke Lieu
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Re: Is it true?
« Reply #7 on: Jan 13th, 2005, 10:30pm » |
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Well, it would have been news to me, literally. That sort of thing would have made the news over here.
As an aside... industrial noise levels are capped at 85dB in most states. Instant stop work at 140dB.
The UNSW (Uni of New South Wales- quite reputable) did s study on development chicken brains that found Quote:
a biphasic morphology in all chickens with one peak at about 6 Hz and another at 26 Hz. |
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