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Twenty Thousand Hertz

Bug Translation Guide: Decoding Buzzes, Chirps, & Clicks

Twenty Thousand Hertz

Dallas Taylor

Design, Music, Music Commentary, Arts

4.94.5K Ratings

🗓️ 10 May 2023

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Why do bugs make the sounds they do? And how do they make them? In this episode, we explore the un-bee-lievable world of insect sounds, including crickets who craft tools to make themselves louder, and moths who can jam the natural sonar of bats. By the time it’s over, you’ll never hear these buzzes and chirps the same way again. Featuring entomologists Natasha Mhatre and Nancy Mioreli. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠. Subscribe on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow Dallas on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠⁠, and⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join our community on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For more amazing bug facts, subscribe to Nancy’s Youtube channel, SciBugs. Follow Natasha’s research on insect communication at Mhatre Lab. Subscribe to Tumble, the science podcast for kids. Get your very own Clarett+ 2Pre audio interface from Focusrite. Check out headspace.com/20KHERTZ and use promo code 20KHERTZ60 to try Headspace free for 60 days. Get up to 35% off for Mother's Day at masterclass.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/songbugs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

It's a new year and many of us are committing to exercising and eating healthier.

0:04.8

But another crucial part of staying healthy is keeping on top of your doctor appointments.

0:09.8

That's where Zoc Doc comes in.

0:12.0

Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to Zocdoch.com slash Hertz to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.

0:19.7

That's Z-O-C-D-O-C.com slash H-E-R-T-Z.

0:24.1

Zocococ.com slash Hertz.

0:30.3

You're listening to 20,000 Hertz.

0:35.7

New details on a series of bizarre attacks, dozens of unexplained illnesses.

0:42.1

Back in 2016, strange reports started coming out of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba.

0:48.1

U.S. diplomats based here in Havana, said they begin to experience these really strange

0:51.8

symptoms often at night, sometimes while they're in bed, asleep.

0:54.8

The symptoms include hearing strange sounds. Headaches, nausea, vertigo, confusion, and a feeling of heat or pressure.

1:02.9

These illnesses came to be known as Havana Syndrome. The cause was unclear, but there was one common factor in many of these reports, a high-pitched

1:12.5

buzzing or hissing sound.

1:14.2

The sound is a common experience reported by dozens of Americans stricken overseas.

1:25.9

Eventually, one of these diplomats captured a recording of this sound, and a quick disclaimer

1:31.0

that listening to it won't hurt you, but it is pretty shrill and unpleasant, so we've turned

1:36.2

it down a good bit. Here it is.

1:43.8

There were all kinds of theories about what could be making this noise.

1:48.0

That's producer Layla Bateson.

1:50.2

Some guessed it was interference from electronic devices.

1:53.3

Others said it could be a Russian sonic weapon.

...

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