[WARNING: This list contains disturbing audio and images.] Sound is both one of the most important and the least noticed parts of a movie. While it’s obviously true that there are entire teams dedicated to perfecting the sound in any professional film, their contributions aren’t as apparent as, say, a stunt artist’s.

See Also: Top 10 Incredible Sounds

We’re not really talking about the background score, either. Some of the most iconic soundtracks of Hollywood aren’t songs at all, but seemingly unimportant sounds like the toilet flush and running water in the basins in bathroom scenes to make them more realistic. Here are ten of the most iconic . . . and, in some cases, disturbing.

10Infrasound And Impending Doom

[WARNING: The youtube video linked here includes subaudible sounds that can cause listeners to suffer extreme discomfort. Please listen with caution.] Gaspar Noé’s 2002 thriller Irreversible evokes some particularly strong feelings. Of course, there’s the very graphic rape scene in the beginning of the movie which we’d highly caution against watching (for those of you who subscribe to such concepts, consider this your “trigger warning”). The rest of the movie is no High School Musical, either, and it’s understandable that it would leave some people with a bad taste in their mouths.

But the horrific scenes of violence are not the only disturbing quality of this film. Many people watching reported feeling an uneasy sense of dread, especially in the more hectic, earlier parts of the film. While many just brushed it off as the filmmaker’s genius, he later admitted to using infrasound to cause the effect in the first 30 minutes of the film.

For those who aren’t familiar with it, infrasound (or subaudible sound) is sound just below our normal hearing range. It doesn’t have to be completely below the threshold, either. Just start approaching the lower end and you’ll begin to “feel” what we’re talking about.

Because people can’t hear the sound but can physically sense it, infrasound ends up causing unexplained feelings of intense dread. It has been effectively – even if sparingly—used in Hollywood ever since they figured out how to reproduce it, as it is highly effective at creating that sense of creeping terror many horror movies leave you with. Interestingly the sound is also associated with many large-scale natural disasters, which suggests that our reaction to it is part of our inbuilt self-defense mechanism.^[1]

9That Time Hollywood Made Us All Listen To Animal Sex

Contrary to popular belief, Jeff Goldblum was not the highlight of the Jurassic Park franchise. It is also remembered for some of the best depictions of dinosaurs on the big screen. For an animal we have never seen in the flesh and only know about from scattered remains of bones around the world, the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were quite believable and multi-dimensional. So how did they know what the dinosaurs sounded like?

Simply put, they didn’t. We usually don’t associate ancient animals with any sound, but we do it with dinosaurs because of Jurassic Park, as they created these sounds out of thin air and were basically the first to do so effectively. For anyone who has wondered how they were made, they’re taken from many animals in various stages of having sex. The velociraptor is voiced by mating tortoises, and the T-rex is dolphins in heat. I wonder how many parents would have made their kids stay home from the cinema if they knew they were about to listen to two hours and seven minutes of animals doing the dirty.^[2]

8 Time Dilation In Inception

Inception is one of the few movies that uses sound design as a central part of its storytelling. Hanz Zimmer’s score is hands down one of his best works to date, and much like other aspects of the movie.

One song that keeps showing up throughout the movie—Edith Piaf’s ‘Non, je ne regrette rien’—is more than just an artistic use of the classic song. As some fans found out, the length of the song—2:28 minutes—may have directly influenced the length of the movie . . . 2:28 hours.

More eagle-eyed and hardcore fans, however, had their ears on even more mind-blowing references in the background score, because the famous French song is referred to in other secret places too. As you can see in the clip above, the music in the dream sequences is stretched out and heavy in bass. The time signature of the music in the dreams actually perfectly corresponds with the song, only stretched out according to the time dilation you’re supposed to experience in the dreams, and tweaked to make it sound better.^[3]

7 Star Trek’s Warp Drive

Star Trek will always be remembered for its innovative use of everyday sounds. This makes sense as they had to come up with a lot of new sounds owing to the vast scope of their futuristic setting at a time that no one had really gone there before. The most distinctive and innovative creation of a sound in the series is probably the warp drive.

While it’s easy to imagine the warp sound from movies in 2020, it wasn’t back then. The sound designer, Doug Grindstaff, wanted to make an authentic effect that would serve as a blueprint for all warp drive sounds in the future, and he was successful to a large extent, too.

For the sound, he went back to his college and borrowed a test oscillator from the physics lab. The resulting warp-drive sound effect will now forever be in the human consciousness. The sounds in Star Trek – along with a few other pioneering movies – defined the genre for decades to come. What a legacy!^[4]

6 The Lightsaber

Star Wars is another classic franchise that came up with quite a few unique ways to convey its sound, especially its brilliant and iconic score. Its biggest breakthroughs in sound design, though – much like most of the other entries on this list – lie in sounds that we don’t even notice.

Take the lightsaber. While most people these days would think that it was generated by some kind of a computer, we forget that technology wasn’t as advanced as it is today. The sound was – like a lot of iconic sounds in Hollywood – made by something found in the junk. More specifically, it was made by the hum of an idle film projector combined with the static buzz of a television.

For another classic sound from the series, the iconic ‘pew pew’ sound of the blaster gun was made by a guy smacking a thick wire with a hammer. I want his job!^[5]

5 Psycho Stabbing

When it comes to psychological horror that gets under your skin while not being overtly visible, Alfred Hitchcock set the benchmark. His movies are some of the most iconic psychological thrillers of all times, and for good reason, too. His use of innovative camera techniques and sound design became the standard for many notable works of the genre since then. Psycho is, no doubt, the most iconic of these. It was made using tools and techniques that were clever as well as genre-defining.

One notable scene is when he murders his hotel guest in the shower—the scene most of us imagine when we think of the movie. The sound design of the sequence was central to its successful execution (so to speak), and it didn’t disappoint. Particularly unique in its time was that it was completely free of any music, heightening the tension of the scene.

Many innovative techniques were used to come up with the sparse sounds that made it to the final edit. The sickening sound of the stabs, for example, was made by stabbing casaba melons. Now that I’ve told you that, watch the clip above and you’ll recognize the sound immediately for what it really is.^[6]

4 The Ringwraiths Of The Lord Of The Rings

The Lord of the Rings was the beginning of a new era of fantasy cinema, and—much like its source material – played a pivotal role in defining that genre as we know it today. Of course, much like all aspects of the movie, the sound was brilliantly done, with quite a few cool little secrets involved.

The sound of the Ringwraiths, for one, was made by rubbing plastic cups together. Suddenly they don’t seem so terrifying, right? Another iconic sound from the movie, Balrog’s weird crackling growls, was recorded from the sound of rocks grinding on the floor. It’s probably best that we stop there or you’ll never be able to enjoy the film series in the same way again.^[7]

3 The Mysterious Punching Sounds In Raging Bull

The sound of the punch is one of the most iconic and recognizable sounds in Hollywood, as well as one of the most unnoticed (at least when it’s done well). Whenever we hear it in a movie, we tend to not even register it.

As it turns out, we actually owe a lot of those sounds to Raging Bull, which was the first movie to really play with the acoustics of a bar fight. The movie uses many different types of sounds according to the mood of the different fights in the movie, giving them a dimension most of us wouldn’t even have explicitly noticed. It remains one of both Martin Scorsese and and sound editor Frank Warner’s best works. To this day they have never revealed how any of those sounds were made. This secret, alas, is one that remains a mystery for now. But next time you notice an amazing punch sound in a film or TV show, you know you have Raging Bull to thank.^[8]

2 The Wilhelm Scream

Sound design is a vital part of any movie, with some sounds becoming so associated with a movie that they effect how we remember these works of fiction forever. Some sounds, however, transcend genres. The Wilhelm Scream is by far the most popular and used voice sample in movies, and you just need to hear it to instantly recognize why. So watch the video above for a rather hilarious, albeit horribly low-quality, series of clips showing the sound featured in different films.

As the name suggests, it’s the sound of a human scream. It was first heard in a movie made in 1951, though it wasn’t until it was picked up by Warner Brothers and used in the 1953 film ‘The Charge at Feather River’ that it really gained popularity. Since then, the iconic Wilhelm Scream has been used to simulate the sound of people falling or getting shot in hundreds of movies.

If you’ve seen any popular movie of the last five decades – like Star Wars, Avengers, Avatar, The Hunger Games, or Indiana Jones – you already know what this sounds like . . . you just may not realize it.^[9]

1 The Art Of Foley Effects

In case you didn’t notice, most of the sound effects we have spoken about aren’t over-the-top musical numbers that require creative genius to produce. They are everyday sounds that make moments in movies seem so realistic we don’t even notice. It’s due to these techniques that film making in Hollywood reached such a peak that it was possible to enter a movie theater and get lost in a fantasy world for two hours. Of course nowadays its our livings rooms we get lost in thanks to the likes of ThePirateBayAppleTV and Disney+.

If there’s one person we owe all of that too, it’s Jack Foley, the sound effects engineer who pioneered the technique of taking common objects and using them to re-create the sounds of humans and their interactions with the physical world. This art (and it really is an art—see the video above for proof) is named after him, and it’s one of those jobs that you won’t notice if it’s done well.^[10]

History leaves plenty of evidence behind. We can gaze upon the ruins of vanquished civilizations, ponder the bones of the long-dead, and read about all the cool parts which were glossed over in grade school. One thing we can’t do so much is hear the sounds of the distant past, but that hasn’t stopped people from trying to fill in the blanks. Through scans, anatomical study, and, in many cases, the wonders of 3D-printing, scientists and sound engineers have enabled dead people, animals, and instruments to roar to life for the modern world to hear.

See Also: Top 10 Incredible Recordings

8 A Pile Of Extinct Birds

Te Papa, the national museum of New Zealand, opened the Te Taiao exhibition in May 2019. Included in the feature are a number of extinct native birds, such as the fearsome Haast’s eagle and its equally formidable prey, the moa. The vocalizations of these long-gone avians have been re-created as well, through the efforts of Te Papa staff and Wellington sound designers.

Featured above is what a Haast’s eagle call may have sounded like, as rendered by sound engineer Piers Gilbertson. Gilbertson began with the vocalizations of a golden eagle and shifted their pitch. Unfortunately, the end result, according to Gilbertson, sounded like “a large, angry chicken.” Then, he turned to the Wahlberg’s eagle and, working with fellow sound designer Chris Ward, slowed the length of the Wahlberg’s call while retaining its frequency range.

As mentioned, the Haast’s eagle call can be heard above. You can click on the bracketed link at the end of this sentence to also hear re-creations of the moa, the Finsch’s duck, the New Zealand goose, and the huia.^[1]

7 Panpipes From Roman Egypt

Listen to it here

In March 2018, researchers at the University of Kent successfully 3D-printed a working replica of a set of panpipes from Roman Egypt. The original (and extremely fragile) reed panpipes were scanned along with a number of other ancient instruments as part of a collaborative effort between several institutions, the end goal being exhibition of the re-created instruments’ sounds at University College London’s Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.

Simply building a new set of reed panpipes for the project wasn’t feasible; finding reeds at the required size would have been nearly impossible. Other materials were needed. A bamboo replica was made, but the winning material was a biodegradable thermoplastic. When the 3D-printed replica was tested, it was found to play a musical scale known to have existed in Roman Egypt, as confirmed by ancient writings.

Dr. Ellen Swift, a project team member, described the finding as a “real eureka moment,” though the researchers were surprised at how high-pitched the panpipes sounded.^[2]

6 Ancient Greek Music

You didn’t have to look far to find music in ancient Greece. Plenty of documentation of it survives. However, despite an abundance of information on instruments, notes, scales, and so forth, the actual sound of ancient Greek music has been harder to pin down. The original sources describe the music in terms quite different than what a modern musician would be accustomed to. In the past, what could be reliably interpreted and re-created has sounded odd, to say the least.

Dr. Armand D’Angour of the University of Oxford sought to clear the confusion. He analyzed a papyrus, found in 1892, which contains part of a chorus from the play Orestes, written by Euripides in 408 BC. The score on the papyrus was bizarre by Western standards, making use of quarter-tone intervals. According to the professor’s analysis, those quarter-tone intervals worked as “passing-notes,” and the chorus itself was actually tonal. He also showed that the music featured “word-painting,” such as a falling cadence paired with the word “lament.”

In 2016, after three years of effort, Dr. D’Angour had reconstructed the music on the papyrus. An additional aid to his work was the re-creation and playing of several well-preserved examples of the aulos, a rather ubiquitous wind instrument from the time. This has provided much insight into the pitch range of ancient Greek music. In 2017, the Orestes piece was performed by an aulos player accompanied by a choir.^[3]

5 Nesyamun

The dead spoke in 2020. Less dramatically (but more realistically) put, scientists were able to re-create the voice of a 3,000-year-old Egyptian priest named Nesyamun in January. The vocal tract of the mummy in question was well-preserved, fitting for a man whose coffin reads, “Nesyamun, true of voice.” The mummy’s throat was CT-scanned, and a replica of the vocal tract was 3D-printed. This replica was attached to a speaker connected to a computer, which generated the sound to be piped through.

The final result was an “eeeeehhh” sound, albeit a very realistic one according to Dr. David Howard, a University of London speech scientist. Replicating the sound of Nesyamun speaking words would be more difficult. For one, the mummy’s tongue hasn’t held up nearly as well as his throat. More knowledge of Nesyamun’s vocal tract articulations would also help, not to mention more insight into the timing and phonetics of his language. However, Dr. Howard believes that it may be possible to generate whole words in the mummified priest’s voice in the future.^[4]

4 The Acoustics Of Stonehenge

Listen to it here

What did Stonehenge sound like over 4,000 years ago? Not the same as today, of course. Stones have fallen over or been taken away, altering the acoustics. In 2019, Dr. Trevor Cox of the University of Salford, a man with an interest in acoustic archaeology, replicated how sound would have reverberated through Stonehenge in 2200 BC, with all of its original stones in place. This was accomplished by using detailed laser scans of Stonehenge to 3D-print a 1:12-scale replica of the ancient site. The mini-Stonehenge was set up in an acoustic research chamber and subjected to sounds played at 12 times their normal frequency.

Dr. Cox found that despite the monument having been quite open-air even when whole, it had acoustics like an enclosed space. Sound would have repeatedly bounced off the stones, and voices inside would have sounded more powerful. The effect probably would have seemed quite impressive to people of the time. The next step for Dr. Cox’s team will be to test the acoustics of Stonehenge at other points during its existence.^[5]

3 The Iceman

Nesyamun isn’t the only mummy to have its voice re-created. In 2016, same thing was done with Ötzi, the famous “Iceman” found in the mountains of South Tyrol in 1991. In this case, Rolando Füstös of the Bolanzo General Hospital CT-scanned the Iceman’s throat. An MRI would have been preferable, but that would have required moving the fragile mummy, an action not taken lightly. Instead, software was employed to move the body virtually. This software was also helpful in reconstructing Ötzi’s hyoid bone and mitigating the fact that one of his arms lies over his throat.

As with Nesyamun, there were limitations: Not all of the soft tissue in the Neolithic mummy’s vocal tract has been preserved, and the tension of his vocal cords is unknown. The Iceman’s language isn’t known, either. Nevertheless, the researchers used software and mathematical models to re-create what Ötzi’s voice may have sounded like. The vowel sounds produced were between 100 and 150 hertz, not unusual for a human male, though they were surprisingly gravelly.^[6]

2 Woolly Mammoth Vocalization

Listen to it here (three minutes into the clip on the linked page)

In 2010, Marguerite Humeau learned of an intricate robotic mouth designed by a researcher named Hideyuki Sawada. The device had moving lips, a flexible windpipe, and “lungs” in the form of an air tank. A video of the mouth singing a lullaby made its rounds on the Internet. Humeau had the idea to do something similar with extinct animals.

Her first effort was to reconstruct the voice box of Lucy, the famous Australopithecus afarensis. She didn’t have much to go on, given the partial nature of Lucy’s skeleton. With input from paleontologists, an ear, nose, and throat doctor, and a physician who’d performed a larynx transplant, Humeau nevertheless built the best Lucy voice box she could from resin, rubber, and silicone.

While working on Lucy’s larynx, Humeau had another idea: to re-create the vocal tract of a woolly mammoth. Again consulting with experts, including elephant vocalization specialists and Bernard Buigues, who has worked with preserved mammoths, Marguerite built an impressive 20-foot (6 m) apparatus meant to emulate the vocalizations of the extinct mammal. Both the Lucy and mammoth voice boxes were exhibited at the Royal College of Art in London in 2011. Apparently, the low rumble of the mammoth managed to frighten a number of children.

1 The T-Rex’s Rumble

It is believed that Tyrannosaurus rex may not have roared as portrayed in movies such as Jurassic Park, so what might it have sounded like? Chris Packham sought an answer in 2017, as part of a documentary to be aired on the BBC. To that end, he contacted Dr. Julia Clarke, a professor of vertebrate paleontology at the University of Texas.

Dr. Clarke utilized Chinese crocodiles as well as the call of the Eurasian bittern, scaled up to an animal of T-rex size, to gauge what the dinosaur may have sounded like. Also taken into account were scans of a fossilized Tyrannosaur braincase, providing insight into the animal’s hearing. It appears as though the T-rex was able to hear very low frequencies, possibly even below human auditory range. According to Packham, the carnosaur’s vocalizations would have been “such a low frequency that you wouldn’t have just heard it, you would have felt it, too.”

The end result can be heard at around the 2:30 mark of the above video. It is a very deep rumble, one which the T-rex probably didn’t even have to open its mouth to make. While quite different from the roar of Jurassic Park fame, it still manages to be unnerving. That makes perfect sense to Dr. Clarke: “I feel like this sound just induces fear. People think you need a roar to be really scary, but that is scariest sound you’ll have ever heard. I don’t know if we have some deep-seated adaptive response to low frequency sounds, but I would not be surprised.”^[7]

You know that feeling when you hear a sound, and it just sends chills right down your spine? Creepy, right? We all know that nature produces all sorts of interesting sights and sounds. From creepy animals to (previously) unexplained sounds that go bump in the night, there’re all sorts of sounds to be wary of in the wild. So check under your bed, turn on all the lights, and join us as we go through the ten creepiest sounds you can hear in nature.

Related: 10 Creepy Ghost Animals You’ve Never Heard Of

10 Alligators

Even without making any noise, alligators are creepy enough! Alligators have been around for so long that they look like almost nothing else (except crocodiles, of course). American alligators can be as long as twenty feet. During their mating season, they call out to each other with a bellow. Both male and female alligators bellow, but the male alligator (often called a bull) is much louder.

The sound makes me feel like I’m watching Jurassic Park! The low growl or bellow from a male alligator is so loud and deep that it even makes the surrounding water vibrate. If you hear one of these, make a run for it! Though alligators rarely attack humans, the sound alone would make anyone get out of the area and fast!

9 Lynxes

If you have a cat that is anything like mine, you know they can make all sorts of crazy noises. Big cats, like the Canadian lynx, take this to another level. However, lynxes aren’t simply trying to get a cat treat. They make a variety of interesting noises for a variety of reasons.

Lynxes let out a long, moaning wail to attract mates. Since lynxes are relatively rare, it makes sense that this mating call is so loud. I’m not sure it needs to be so creepy, though! Lynxes have several other sounds that they can make as well. They have a short, lower sound that almost sounds like a bark to help their kittens. Lynxes use a third kind of sound when they’re confronting another adult. For such a beautiful animal, Lynxes sure make some creepy sounds!

8 Howling Wind

You know what they always say in horror movies, right? The main characters hear a loud sound in some creepy location and say, “It’s just the wind.” Well, in the movie, it’s not the wind! But, the wind surely can create some eerie and creepy sounds.

Scary sounds made by the wind happen for various reasons. Most often, it’s due to the shape of the land and foliage nearby. Think about whistling. You can whistle when you hold your mouth correctly by blowing air through that shape. The same shape can occur naturally. In nature, you can hear a variety of sounds from the wind. It may sound like a howl, a whistle, or a growl. Even though we understand what causes the wind to make these sounds, that doesn’t make it any less creepy!

7 Ruffed Grouse “Drumming”

The Ruffed Grouse is a musical bird with a talent for percussion. This bird’s “drums” can reportedly be heard or even felt up to a quarter-mile away. Hopefully, you don’t have any Ruffed Grouses as upstairs neighbors!

While this noise may be less scary than some of the others on the list, it’s certainly eerie. The deep, percussive drumming sound comes not from the Ruffed Grouse’s mouth but its wings. The Ruffed Grouse repeatedly pumps its wings, creating a deep, muted sound like a drumbeat. However, Ruffed Grouses don’t make that sound to keep a beat. They make their trademark drumming noise to claim territory and attract mates. Only male Ruffed Grouses make the drumming sound.

6 Crows

Crows are a regular fixture in horror movies. They’re said to represent death in many cultures. As well as being iconic for their appearances in horror movies, crows are known to be extremely intelligent. They have even proven capable of using tools to some degree.

However, there is no denying that a crow’s “caw” is just plain creepy! Crows can create a wide variety of noises, but their trademark “caw” is the start of countless horror stories. As scary as a crow “caw” is on film, it can be even creepier in person. If you start hearing crows too often, you may want to think about investing in a scarecrow to give those crows a taste of their own medicine.

5 “Trumpets” in Alberta, Canada

The next item on our list is a lot harder to explain. There has been a mysterious trumpet noise heard in Alberta, Canada, on several occasions. It’s undoubtedly eerie and creepy, made even more so because there isn’t a definite explanation.

While many report these sounds as “coming from the sky,” some potential theories are in place. Some scientists believe this is happening because of tectonic movement beneath the Earth’s crust (the same movement which causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions). Other scientists speculate that it’s a wind-based phenomenon. Nobody is entirely sure.

Some of the creepiest things are those we can’t explain. The “trumpet” sounds in Alberta are another example of this. Whatever the reason for the mysterious sound, it sends a chill up my spine!

4 Owls

Owls are commonly associated with intelligence, large eyes, and nocturnal nature. You have to admit, though, those quiet, big-eyed birds are a little bit creepy too! Owls also produce various sounds, most of them pretty eerie and unsettling when out in nature.

The sound that most people think of when they think of an owl is a gentle “hoot.” Typically, this sound is associated with the great horned owl. However, owls make various noises, including screeches that’re very disarming. Young owls are very noisy and scream piercingly when begging for food. Adult owls can make all sorts of noises, like barks, shrieks, hisses, coos, cries, and screams. Any one of those sounds at the wrong time could give you a case of the willies.

Maybe the sounds of an owl wouldn’t be so creepy if they were active during the day. A quiet night in the woods interjected with a hoot from an owl may be all it takes to send you running for cover!

3 Bats

The phrase “blind as a bat” is used pretty often. However, bats aren’t actually blind. They simply use sounds to make it easier to hunt prey at night. This technique is called echolocation. Echolocation works like sonar technology: A bat emits a high-pitched screaming sound and hears the echoes. The bat then uses those echoes to create a mental picture of its surroundings. This allows bats to be active at night.

While this is a cool and interesting ability for a bat, it’s downright creepy. The sounds of a bat are so high-pitched that you can hear them easily over long distances. On a quiet night, it’s possible to listen to the bats’ wings flapping as well. Thanks to horror movies and scary stories, most of us already have a healthy fear and distaste of bats. Unfortunately, none of this knowledge will make them sound any less creepy.

2 Bears

Most of us are familiar with the sound that a bear makes. However, this doesn’t prepare you for hearing that sound in nature. Hearing that growl is not only creepy; it can be downright scary.

In actuality, though we picture bears growling and making a lot of noise, they generally don’t make noise without reason. Bears are known to make a variety of sounds. Bears grunt relatively quietly to communicate with other bears or their offspring and may sometimes hum when enjoying a meal (though cubs do this more often). Typical bear cubs may scream or cry when separated from their mothers. However, the grizzly bear roar is by far the creepiest out of all these sounds.

Typically, grizzly bears only roar when facing a conflict (generally with another bear). This loud, low roar is meant as a warning. I can imagine that a grizzly bear’s roar is creepy to just about every mammal, including humans.

1 Giggling Hyenas

There is nothing quite so joyous as the laughter of children. On the other hand, there is nothing quite as creepy as a laughing pack of hyenas. In fact, for the hyena, their high-pitched laugh isn’t an indicator that they are amused.

A hyena’s laugh sounds maniacal. It sounds like a person who has completely lost their mind just cackling and chortling. However, the hyena is actually trying to communicate.

Hyenas generally laugh for three reasons; they laugh because they’re scared, excited, or frustrated. If you hear a hyena laughing, it’s most likely because they’re on the hunt. Hyenas may also laugh when they’re not getting their share of a kill (or don’t want to share with the rest of the pack). An eerie, creepy laugh often echoed throughout a pack of hyenas is, for me, the creepiest sound you can hear in nature. It’s probably best to steer clear of the whole list, though.

We live in a wild, wonderful, and weird world. The sheer variety of animals and plants around the world can simply take your breath away. As unique as they all are in appearance, animals are also unique in terms of their sounds. Whether it’s vocalization, whistling, or sound created from movement, these sounds are truly unique. Even some fish make sounds!

Despite all of the beautiful sounds that we hear in nature, that isn’t our focus for today. Instead, we are looking at the animals who don’t sound so pretty. Below, we will outline ten animals who make sounds that are just bizarre. Make sure your volume is turned up before listening to these creepy animal sounds.

Related: 10 Absurd Sleep Habits Of Wild Animals

10 Walrus

Walruses can create a whole bunch of different kinds of noises. You can hear the whole range of noises in the video here. Walruses can create grunts, growls, barks, whistles, clicks, taps, and more. Young walruses (called calves) will even bellow loudly if they are distressed. Interestingly, walruses can create sounds not only when out of the water but also under the water.

Some walrus sounds, like the “bell” sound used by males to attract mates, aren’t made using vocal cords. Instead, male walruses have tiny air sacs in their throats to create the “bell” noise.

From squeaks to roars and growls, a walrus sure knows a lot of ways to make a racket and communicate. Watching the walrus make its unique sounds is somewhat cute, sure. Hearing those sounds with no warning would definitely give me the creeps.

9 Cougars

Another animal with a downright creepy sound is a cougar. Cougar wails have been compared to the sounds of children (or adult women) screaming in terror. Unlike many large cats, like lions and tigers, cougars don’t roar. They scream. Or shriek. They certainly don’t sound like they look.

Both male and female cougars are capable of making their signature screaming sound. While it isn’t completely confirmed why these big cats scream, many scientists believe it’s associated with their mating rituals. Scientists speculate that female cougars shriek when in heat in order to attract a mate. On the other hand, it’s believed that male cougars scream or shriek to establish territory and warn away other males.

Whatever the reason, hearing a cougar shriek and scream may cause you to let out a scream of your own.

8 Piranha

Are Piranhas the creepiest animal out there? Could be since it’s not hard to find something creepy about piranhas. They are flesh-eating fish who eat their prey alive. They aren’t the prettiest fish out there, either. But, believe it or not, piranhas have yet another weird characteristic. They “bark” underwater.

Piranhas are capable of making three distinctly different noises. When a piranha enters into an altercation or confrontation, it will make a barking noise. This is the sound the fish produces most often. Secondly, when a piranha is circling its adversary or fighting for food, it repeatedly creates a short, distinctive sound. Third, a creaky, croaking sound can be heard when the piranha snaps its jaw. I don’t know about you, but I hope I am never close enough to hear these fish make any sounds.

7 Koalas

We can all agree koalas sure are cute! However, as we know, looks can be deceiving in the animal kingdom. Koalas, despite being commonly referred to as “koala bears,” are actually not a bear but a type of marsupial. This is just one unique characteristic of these fascinating creatures.

Koalas also have an extra pair of vocal folds near their larynx. This allows them to create a deep, bellowing sound. It sounds a lot like a bullfrog, but nothing like I thought a koala would sound like. Both male and female koalas are able to create this sound, but typically it’s used by males as a mating call. Koalas are also able to create a high-pitched screaming noise.

Female koalas may make this noise to ward off a male suitor. Male koalas may scream if they feel threatened. Either way, for such a cute animal, why does a koala have to sound so bizarre?

6 Frogs

Frogs are typically pretty noisy. The Smoky Jungle Frog is no exception. Smoky Jungle Frogs are found in Central and South America. The species is a nocturnal frog, is almost exclusively active during the night. These frogs are larger than we expect from a frog species and possess significant jumping capabilities. They are also capable of making two pretty unique sounds.

The first sound made by the Smoky Jungle Frog is a defense mechanism. Though these large amphibians are quick and can jump far, when they do get caught, they have a backup plan. If a frog is caught or trapped by a predator, it emits a blood-curdling scream. This scream stuns the predator—hopefully—and allows the Smoky Jungle Frog to escape to safety.

Secondly, Smoky Jungle Frogs have a mating call. The mating call sounds like a “whoop” or “hoop” sound. This mating call is both for the males to attract a mate and establish territorial boundaries. It would be nice if they kept it down a little bit, though…

5 Porcupines

To me, one of the creepiest things an animal can do is sound human. Porcupines do just that. They are often compared to a high-pitched voice speaking quickly. In fact, these little creatures make a whole bunch of messed-up sounds.

Porcupines often scream to attract mates during the summer mating season (I can think of another species that does that too—but it usually involves beer). Interestingly, both male and female porcupines make this sound. Porcupines are also known to make a clicking noise. This happens because their small teeth are chattering together. A porcupine will begin to click when scared or backed into a corner. Also, if a porcupine is trying to scare off a predator, it may make a grunting or growling sound.

The most commonly heard noise associated with porcupines is a kind of cooing sound. It sounds a lot like a human baby. Porcupines would be a lot cuter if they didn’t make such terrifying and human-like sounds.

4 Male Red Deer

Red stags are beautiful and iconic animals. Complete with a huge set of horns, male red deer are an impressive sight. However, like all animals on this list, they make a weird noise. In some ways, the sounds that male red deer make are even more impressive.

In order to establish dominance and attract mates, a red stag will let out a roar. Larger stags will typically have deeper and louder roars. In fact, many confrontations are decided without any sort of fight. Instead, the stags will roar it out. Red stags can often be found to roar many times a day, and during rutting season, they really let it rip. I can understand why they roar so much, too—not only is it creepy, but it’s also a little intimidating!

3 Ostrich

Are ostriches really birds? They definitely don’t sound like them! Ostriches are birds with a number of unique qualities. They are large and flightless, but, believe it or not, they are one of the loudest birds in the world as well.

Ostriches are typically pretty quiet. Male ostriches, however, can inflate their necks with air (while keeping their mouths closed) and create a rumbling sound that echoes for miles. Male ostriches do this to attract a mate. Female ostriches make their own unique sound as well. When threatened, female ostriches will hiss.

2 Cheetahs

Cheetahs are known for being the fastest land animal on earth. They also emit several odd sounds. Cheetahs vocalize in three unique ways. They create gurgling or purring sounds, chirp, and hiss. Interestingly, cheetahs aren’t able to roar.

Like many other kinds of cats, cheetahs hiss when they are threatened or in danger. A cheetah may also begin to moan when frightened. Cheetahs can meow as well. But the most unique and creepiest sound that these big cats make is the chirp.

This sound that a cheetah makes could easily be mistaken for a bird. The chirp is high-pitched and easily identifiable (though it doesn’t sound like it could have come from a large feline). Cheetahs make these noises for a variety of reasons. Most commonly, mother cheetahs chirp to locate their young. Despite the loving, motherly intentions of this sound, it can definitely creep someone out.

1 Great Blue Heron

The creepiest sound on our list comes from an enormous bird, the Great Blue Heron. Interestingly, this ancient-looking bird is almost always silent. However, when it does make noise, it’s going to creep you out.

The Great Blue Heron possesses a very loud and harsh squawk. The heron makes this noise when landing and also when taking flight. This species is also known for its bill-snapping noise. The snap of the Heron’s bill can be heard for miles. Between these two distinctive sounds, the Great Blue Heron sounds like something from the age of dinosaurs. Truly spine chilling!

There are two types of sounds: Those we can hear and those we can’t.

The average human hears every sound between the frequencies of 20 hertz (Hz) and 20 kilohertz (kHz). Any sound below this frequency is infrasonic, and any above is ultrasonic. Unfortunately, we cannot hear both because our ears cannot pick them up.

Besides the sounds outside our hearing frequency, there is also a category of sounds between 20 Hz and 20 kHz we cannot hear. We should hear these sounds under normal circumstances, but we cannot hear them because of one reason or the other.

This list presents 10 of these loud sounds we cannot hear.

Related: 10 Artificial Sounds We Hear Every Day

10 Dog Whistles

If you stood beside a person blowing a dog whistle, you would hear nothing louder than a low hissing sound, even though those whistles are unbelievably loud.

We cannot hear dog whistles because they produce sounds in frequencies above what we can hear. The average human hears no more than 20 kHz, which could go up to 23 kHz in people with sensitive ears (one kHz is 1000 Hz). However, dogs can hear up to 45 kHz. Depending on the manufacturer, dog whistles make sounds between 23 and 45 kHz.

But this doesn’t mean you should blow dog whistles for fun. Just as you would freak out if someone blows a loud whistle (you can hear) for minutes without stopping, dogs will also freak out if you blow a dog whistle non-stop. Besides, blowing a dog whistle too loudly when your dog is nearby could attract other dogs, which is something you do not want.^[1]

9 The Sun

Imagine someone filled the earth with police sirens and switched every one of them on. Now, multiply that sound by 10,000. That is how loud the sun is.

But we are 92 million miles from the sun, which means the sound would have greatly reduced by the time it gets here. But the dull roar we’d hear would be around 100 decibels, which is the same volume as a rock concert. That’s still loud.

Researchers think we would have never been able to develop speech with that constant noise around us. And even if we did, we would need to shout to talk to even the people closest to us. However, the super-loud sound would only last during the day, which means we may enjoy a bit of quiet at night.

Luckily for us and our ears, we cannot hear the sun. Why? Because sound needs air to travel and there is no air in space.^[2]

8 12 kHz to 20 kHz

Everyone over 18 suffers from a health disorder called presbycusis, which is the medical way of saying “age-related hearing loss.”

While we generally hear every sound between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, most of us lose the ability to hear anything higher than 17.4 kHz the moment we clock 18. By the time we reach 40, we struggle to hear anything higher than 15 kHz, and by the time we hit the big 5-0, we won’t hear anything over 12 kHz.

A few businesses have exploited this knowledge to create products that blast annoying sounds between 17.4 and 20 kHz to discourage teens from hanging outside their stores. On the other hand, teens are fighting back by using ringtones in those frequencies. This allows them to receive calls in classrooms without their teachers knowing their phones are ringing.^[3]

7 Bat Echolocation

Contrary to what they told us, bats can see. It is just that they do not always rely on their eyes to find their way around. They use sound instead.

Over half of all bat species release ultrasonic sounds between 20kHz and 200 kHz from their mouths or nostrils. Then they wait for the echoes to bounce off everything in the area and return to them, allowing them to identify obstacles and, of course, food.

The loudness of these sounds varies but is usually between 50 and 120 decibels, which is louder than a smoke detector within arm’s length.^[4]

6 Rocket Launches

Rockets are loud, but what if we told you they could be louder?

Rockets produce sounds we cannot hear. However, unlike bats, which make sounds above the upper limit of what we can hear, rockets produce sounds below the lower limit of what we can hear. We call these sounds infrasonic sounds.

While we cannot hear infrasonic sounds, we can detect and record them with special equipment and even speed up the recorded sounds to get an idea of what they sound like. In fact, researchers did exactly this when they captured sound from the November 2009 launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. They sped it up 250 times so that we could hear it.^[5]

5 Sperm Whale Sounds

Sperm whales make a variety of sounds. Some are infrasonic, some are ultrasonic, and the rest are within the frequency of what we can hear.

The one thing all the three types of sounds have in common is their loudness. The sounds are so loud that researchers think sperm whales may be using them to stun their favorite prey, giant squids, unconscious before capturing and eating them.

While research into this remains inconclusive, experiments have proven that sperm whales do not use ultrasonic sounds to stun prey. However, we cannot say whether they use infrasonic or even regular sounds for the same purpose.

We should also add that whales could use sound to hurt their prey in other ways other than stunning. For instance, they could use sound to burst their blood vessels or disorient and confuse them, so they do not know the whale is approaching.^[6]

4 Volcanic Eruptions

Volcanoes make a lot of noise when they erupt. However, what if we told you a good chunk of that noise is silent to our ears?

That is because some of the sound is infrasound, which is below the frequency of what our ears can pick up. Curiously, infrasonic sound, especially when loud, is more dangerous than ultrasound since it travels over longer distances. In fact, infrasound-detecting stations often pick up the sounds of faraway volcanoes and use them to determine the characteristics of the eruption.

Unsurprisingly though, volcanoes do not only make infrasonic sounds when they erupt. They make infrasonic sounds all the time, and researchers have been measuring this sound to monitor the changes in their lava levels to predict future eruptions.^[7]

3 Elephant Rumbles

Sometime in the ’80s, researchers discovered that elephants use infrasound to communicate with other elephants at distances up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away. While this is no surprise, considering infrasound travels over very long distances, we also discovered that elephants also use infrasound to communicate with nearby elephants.

Female elephants leading a herd use it to shepherd every elephant in the herd. Mothers use it to remain in touch with their calves, and males use it to warn other males to back off during the mating season.

Elephants generally make infrasonic sounds between 1 Hz and 20 Hz, which we cannot hear. However, they make these sounds along with some rumbles that are within the frequency of what we can hear. Why they do that, we cannot say.^[8]

2 Sound Weapons

While we cannot hear infrasonic and ultrasonic sounds, we can feel them, especially when they are too loud. And just as any loud sound (we can hear) makes us uncomfortable after a while, the loud sounds we cannot hear make us uncomfortable too. And they may even cause some serious internal damage.

Sound (aka sonic) weapons work by directing infrasonic or ultrasonic sounds at a person or group of people. Several countries have deployed infrasonic sound weapons, which have milder consequences when compared to the ultrasonic ones, against protesters, who rarely know they are at the receiving end of one, even after the effects kick in.

People at the other end of infrasonic sound weapons suddenly become uncomfortable and begin vomiting or pooping. Ultrasonic weapons have the same effect, too, but they also cause headaches, trigger bubbles to form inside our tissues, and increase the temperature of our cells, consequently damaging them.^[9]

1 Burglar Alarms

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Have you ever wondered how motion detector lights, alarms, and security systems work? They use ultrasound.

Most ultrasonic security systems use sound waves between 30kHz and 50 kHz, which we cannot hear. Better still, ultrasonic sound waves cannot pass through solids like infrasonic sound, making them the best for detecting humans, animals, or objects in an area.

There are two types of ultrasonic security systems. The first type listens for ultrasonic sounds in the environment, while the other sends out ultrasonic sounds and waits for the response. Whenever the security system detects a slight change in the ultrasonic sounds in an area, it instantly knows a new creature or object is in the area and activates.^[10]

Sounds can elicit specific emotions in our bodies and minds. A baby’s laughter can spark joy, and a dog barking can bubble up fear. Some people take it a step further by using noises to influence their own emotions—or to manipulate emotions in others.

On YouTube, you may find a variety of content called “ASMR.” ASMR is a complicated emotional state that some people experience when they hear specific triggers. And you’ll notice that they use just about any sound imaginable. Some of them may have a surprising effect on you, while others may have no impact at all. Here are ten sounds that people utilize to impact feelings.

Related: Top 10 Incredible Sound Phenomena

10 A Little Light Laughter

Have you ever heard of background laughter? Seinfeld wouldn’t be nearly as funny without it. TV shows often play laugh tracks when there is no live audience on set to encourage viewers to laugh at the right time.

Laughter is a nonverbal emotional expression, and the noises we make when we feel intense emotions are more akin to animal calls than human speech. We create them in straightforward ways (unlike speech), and they are regulated by an evolutionarily “older” brain system, which is also in charge of vocalization in other mammals.

As a non-verbal expression, laughter is commonly related to emotional reactions. It’s difficult not to laugh when someone else does. The brain may contain “mirror neurons,” which are active both when you are executing a task and watching someone else complete it. Mirror neurons don’t just involve laughter, though; when we hear someone talking while crying, for example, it’s tough not to feel sorry.

9 Let It Rain

One of the most prevalent noises used in ASMR content is rain sound effects. Rain-related sounds can evoke powerful emotional memories, both positive and negative. The sounds of rain can conjure up images of a relaxing day at home, while the sounds of thunder can give you a feeling of emotional release. You may be one of those folks who like to sit near a window and listen to the rain patter on the panes.

While some people find rain calming, others don’t. According to one study, over 9% of people are “rain haters”—angrier or more depressed on days with more precipitation. Tecsia Evans, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who claims certain people are more likely to feel lonely or down when it gets dark and dismal outside. When it’s raining outdoors, it’s not uncommon to notice a shift in moods, such as depression or poor self-esteem. Do you feel the same?

8 Mother Nature’s Voice

Sounds we hear in nature can help us relax, and there’s a good reason for this belief. According to Trever Cox, an acoustics professor at Salford University, these sounds are usually connected with associations we’ve evolved to make. For instance, when the birds stop chirping, you may become instinctively aware that something is wrong.

Also, in prehistoric times, hearing the sound of nature meant that the area had water, food, and other necessities for survival. Quiet, barren locations, on the other hand, indicate that survival may be difficult. All of these are natural responses for humans trying to survive. Wouldn’t you feel safer if you heard the birds chirping, the high-pitched buzzing of cicadas, and river water flowing?

Hearing noises from natural settings calms us down and makes us feel secure. A 2017 study at Brighton and Sussex Medical School observed reactions to artificial and natural noises while participants completed an attention-based assignment.

When the volunteers were exposed to natural noises, their reaction times were significantly faster. They saw a decrease in the sympathetic response (which starts the body’s automatic reaction to dangerous or stressful conditions) and increased parasympathetic response (which helps the body rest and function normally).

7 Just a Whisper

You may see whispering as an odd choice for a sound that can affect emotion. And you’re not wrong. But believe it or not, some people find whispering a soothing sound. Does the delicate stillness provide an escape from the noisiness of the real and virtual world? Or could it just be the familiarity of someone else’s voice?

No matter the reason, the sound of someone whispering is the most prevalent ASMR trigger. Some argue that whispering has a comparable effect to listening to relaxing music or natural noises such as running water or waves at the beach. Many people still doubt the effectiveness and authenticity of whispering and ASMR in general. Still, it’s being used to treat insomnia and anxiety.

6 Tapping Sounds

Tapping sounds, like whispers, can act as auditory triggers, causing significant emotional or physiological reactions, including a pleasant ASMR sensation.

It’s not always positive, though, especially for people who suffer from misophonia, a condition in which certain noises cause physiological or emotional responses that may seem irrational in the moment.

Have you ever had an emotional response to a sound that’s so intense that you want to run away, cover your ears, or punch somebody simply making slurping noises, tapping their fingers, or humming? That’s how misophonia works. It could be a tap, a tick, or even a drip. Maybe people whistling drive you to near violence. Like they say in Encanto, “Pressure like a drip, drip, drip, that’ll never stop.”

5 White Noise

White noise is that continuous “sh” sound—similar to the sound of a waterfall or TV and radio static. The color white really has nothing to do with it, except that it’s a noise that can blend in easily and go unnoticed by many. At least, until it’s not there anymore.

Depending on the person, white noise can either be relaxing or drive you totally insane.

See, these sounds are a mix of sound frequencies detectable to the human ear, and it turns out that this noise provides a variety of health benefits. White noise helps babies fall asleep faster, according to a study published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood. It’s also been shown to help people with tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

White noise can also help you sleep by disguising more irritating sounds. It keeps noise pollution from disrupting your sleep, which has adverse health effects on our biological systems. They can help you fall asleep and stay asleep, and they may even train your brain to recognize when it’s time for bed. So, every time your TV antenna is broken, maybe you should leave it on and let the static noise lull you to sleep. Or just download a white noise app if you don’t know what a TV antenna is.

4 Pink Noise

Pink noise works the same way as white noise in that it filters out distracting sounds so you can sleep. The difference is that pink noise has deeper noises and lower sound waves, making it a little friendlier and more calming.

White noise like a fan or a vacuum can be loud and high-pitched. Pink noise employs a continuous frequency, or pitch, like with steady rain, wind rustling through trees, or waves on the beach. It creates a more even, balanced sound. The extra depth and lower waves filter out higher sounds. As a result, you hear lower-frequency noises that are more calming.

Pink noise, like white noise, isn’t going to work for everyone. You won’t know if pink noise will help you unless you try it.

3 The Sound of Music

From our ancestors’ drum beats to today’s limitless streaming services, music has always been a part of the human experience. It can positively influence your mood and emotions, increasing happiness and decreasing worry and anxiety.

Heck, even sad music can improve your mood.

When people are grieving a loss, like the end of a long relationship, they choose sad music. Why? You can use sad music to replace a lost connection. Most people need an empathic friend who understands what they’re going through, right? But when your friend is busy, you can turn on that Taylor Swift album instead. *Copium intensifies*

It’s easy to see why people find that listening to music helps them unwind. Our muscles relax, our respiration slows down, and our stress levels drop when listening to music. So turn up the volume and jam out—you’ll feel better.

2 Grandma, Is That You?

It may sound corny, but hearing your family’s voices might significantly affect your mental health. If you haven’t heard someone’s voice in a long time, it can spark something in you—good or bad.

When you listen to a tape of your grandma’s voice who passed away last year, your emotional response could come from remembering the feeling of her hugs or the taste of her chocolate chip cookies. On the flip side, a voicemail from your crazy sister can send you into an emotional spiral.

These sounds can be recorded, but they can also be something you experience in person. You can get that ASMR satisfaction by spending more time with your family, creating unforgettable moments you can laugh about and remember for the rest of your life. Even the memory of their voice can be soothing. It might help you relax more during difficult times.

1 Baby, You’re a Firework

There’s no denying that we love our fireworks—even though many have lost fingers or experienced significant burns to their hands while attempting to set them off in the backyard on the 4th of July. But it looks like that danger is part of the fun. The euphoria of listening to firework explosions actually stems from the fact that they scare us. How come?

Fireworks cause the amygdala, a little ball of nerves in the brain that perceives fear, to activate. It triggers a surge release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates pleasure. So how can something we fear be pleasurable to us? Fireworks-induced fear is regulated, unlike sounds with an uncontrolled or unexpected volume level.

But not everyone loves this sound. Fireworks can be tough for people with PTSD, and they make it difficult to fall or remain asleep, especially if they induce anxiety that lasts a long time. Because of the lack of sleep induced by fireworks, you may experience tension, worry, or anger when waking up. There’s nothing wrong with chilling out to the sound of a Roman Candle; just make sure you can handle it.