Skip to content
The American Academy of Audiology
  • Practice Resources
    • Practice Guidelines and Standards
    • Reimbursement
    • Coding
    • Compliance
    • Public Awareness
    • State Medicaid
    • Medicare FAQs
    • COVID-19 Resources
  • Education and Events
    • Event Calendar
    • AAA Annual Conference
    • Academy Research Conference (ARC)
    • Continuing Education
    • eAudiology Online Learning
    • Research Grants and Scholarships
  • News and Publications
    • Audiology Today
    • Newsroom
    • Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
    • Advertising
    • Audiology Solutions Network
    • Online Store
  • Careers
    • Career Center
    • Certification
    • Become an Audiologist
    • Doctoral Programs in Audiology
    • Recruiting
    • Resources for New Audiologists
  • Advocacy
    • Legislative and Regulatory Activities
      • State Affairs
      • Federal Affairs
    • Legislative Action Center
    • Government Relations News
  • About the Academy
    • Contact Us
    • Academy Membership
      • Benefits
      • Ethics
      • Member Directory
      • Membership Renewals
    • Leadership
    • Committees and Task Forces
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Honors and Awards
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    • Corporate Partners
    • Press and Media Information
  • Audiology Community
  • Consumers
    • What Is an Audiologist
    • Hearing and Balance Symptoms and Conditions
    • Managing Hearing Loss
    • Seniors and Hearing Loss
    • Children and Hearing Loss
FacebookTwitterLinkedinYoutubeInstagram
  • Audiology Community
  • Students
  • Donate
  • Join
  • Renew
The American Academy of Audiology
Member Login
  • Practice Resources
    • Practice Guidelines and Standards
    • Reimbursement
    • Coding
    • Compliance
    • Public Awareness
    • State Medicaid
    • Medicare FAQs
    • COVID-19 Resources
  • Education and Events
    • Event Calendar
    • AAA Annual Conference
    • Academy Research Conference (ARC)
    • Continuing Education
    • eAudiology Online Learning
    • Research Grants and Scholarships
  • News and Publications
    • Audiology Today
    • Newsroom
    • Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
    • Advertising
    • Audiology Solutions Network
    • Online Store
  • Careers
    • Career Center
    • Certification
    • Become an Audiologist
    • Doctoral Programs in Audiology
    • Recruiting
    • Resources for New Audiologists
  • Advocacy
    • Legislative and Regulatory Activities
      • State Affairs
      • Federal Affairs
    • Legislative Action Center
    • Government Relations News
  • About the Academy
    • Contact Us
    • Academy Membership
      • Benefits
      • Ethics
      • Member Directory
      • Membership Renewals
    • Leadership
    • Committees and Task Forces
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Honors and Awards
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    • Corporate Partners
    • Press and Media Information
  • Audiology Community
  • Consumers
    • What Is an Audiologist
    • Hearing and Balance Symptoms and Conditions
    • Managing Hearing Loss
    • Seniors and Hearing Loss
    • Children and Hearing Loss
July 27, 2022

Sharks Can Hear for Miles

  • In the News

While a shark’s ability to smell blood in water a quarter of a mile away is well known, their ability to hear prey from miles away may be the bigger meal ticket.

Images of bloody chum undulating through ocean currents has cinematic gory appeal; however, a shark needs to be in relatively short range (less than a quarter mile) to pick it up. Also, the rate at which the smell travels is dependent upon currents, so sensing the odiferous lure is relatively short range in comparison to estimates on how far a shark can hear potential prey. 

A shark’s “inner ear” is a dual-purpose system called the acoustic-lateralis system. The configuration allows sharks to perceive sounds between 10Hz­­­–800Hz that travel great distances through water. The lateral line runs just under the skin, flanking each side of the apex predator. The lateral lines allow detection of additional vibrations, further orienting sharks to their environments and clueing them toward potential prey. Additionally, sharks are capable of electroreception, the ability to detect electrical fields. Together, these amazing structures form an excellent internal global positioning system (GPS) in the murkiest of waters.

Sharks are most attracted to low-frequency, erratic thumping sounds that mimic prey in distress. In the Discovery Channel’s Bride of Jaws (2015) documentary, researchers used an underwater speaker playing heavy metal music (low-frequency dominated music) to successfully lure great whites for filming purposes. The acoustic method is gaining popularity as it may be more effective at attracting sharks than the traditional chumming techniques, often reducing the time it takes for sharks to appear. 

References

AZ Animals. (2021) How far can sharks smell blood? (accessed July 26, 2022).

Discovery Shark Week. (2015) Bride of jaws. S2015 E6. (accessed July 26, 2022).

Martin RA. (2003) Biology of sharks and rays. (accessed July 26, 2022).

Share this

Recent Posts

  • Sick Leave and Disability Pension: Are They Associated with Hearing Loss? 
  • Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Final Rule Released
  • Academy Develops Clinical Practice Guideline Endorsement Policy: Review the Latest Endorsed Guidelines

Related Posts

Sick Leave and Disability Pension: Are They Associated with Hearing Loss? (seanbear/shutterstock.com)
In the News

Sick Leave and Disability Pension: Are They Associated with Hearing Loss? 

Jørgensen and colleagues (2022) recently published a paper examining the association between hearing loss and both physician-certified sick leave (>16 days) and disability pension. These investigators used data collected as part of the Trøndelag Health Study (the HUNT Hearing Study) conducted in Norway. They followed 21,754 participants between the ages of 20 and 49 who…

Read More
Nightingale’s Scientific Contribution: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words (Olga Tsyvinska/shutterstock.com)
In the News

Nightingale’s Scientific Contribution: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

Florence Nightingale’s dedicated war-time nursing practices are well-known. However, her contributions to medicine and research stretch far beyond. In the mid-1800s, one of the largest causes of soldier mortality came from unsanitary, cramped living quarters, where communicable diseases could spread easily and where wounds festered. Frustrated with her pleas to officials to improve the living…

Read More
Exploring a Sonic Connection to Plants (YummyBuum/shutterstock.com)
In the News

Exploring a Sonic Connection to Plants

What does a plant sound like? Perhaps, you’ve never considered that plants could generate sound without an external force like wind. The creators of Plantwave use a combination of sensors and algorithms to track the biorhythms and water movements within plants to create harmonious music. Each plant and each leaf creates a unique soundscape. The…

Read More
wave-mark

Join the Academy

Academy members receive many benefits for professional development, practice management, and community development.

Become a Member
aaoa-logo-white-blue-min

American Academy of Audiology
11480 Commerce Park Drive
Suite 220
Reston, VA 20191

Tel: 703-790-8466
Fax: 703-790-8631

  • Practice Resources
    • Practice Guidelines and Standards
    • Reimbursement
    • Coding
    • Compliance
    • Public Awareness
    • State Medicaid
    • Medicare FAQs
    • COVID-19 Resources
  • Education and Events
    • Event Calendar
    • AAA Annual Conference
    • Academy Research Conference (ARC)
    • Continuing Education
    • eAudiology Online Learning
    • Research Grants and Scholarships
  • News and Publications
    • Audiology Today
    • Newsroom
    • Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
    • Advertising
    • Audiology Solutions Network
    • Online Store
  • Careers
    • Career Center
    • Certification
    • Become an Audiologist
    • Doctoral Programs in Audiology
    • Recruiting
    • Resources for New Audiologists
  • Advocacy
    • Legislative and Regulatory Activities
      • State Affairs
      • Federal Affairs
    • Legislative Action Center
    • Government Relations News
  • About the Academy
    • Contact Us
    • Academy Membership
      • Benefits
      • Ethics
      • Member Directory
      • Membership Renewals
    • Leadership
    • Committees and Task Forces
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Honors and Awards
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    • Corporate Partners
    • Press and Media Information
  • Audiology Community
  • Consumers
    • What Is an Audiologist
    • Hearing and Balance Symptoms and Conditions
    • Managing Hearing Loss
    • Seniors and Hearing Loss
    • Children and Hearing Loss
  • Audiology Community
  • Students
  • Donate
  • Join
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Antitrust Policy and Guidelines
  • Terms of Use Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Sitemap

© Copyright 2022 American Academy of Audiology

Website by Yoko Co

Scroll To Top