Friday, March 13, 2009

CAN YOU HEAR THIS SOUND?

Click on this link:

THE TEENAGER AUDIO TEST

It is apparently a high pitched buzz, like a mosquito, that at high volumes can be very annoying. But the catch is, only people under 25 can hear it.

I wouldn't know. I can't hear a thing. (Yep, the cat's out of the bag. I am over 25.)

Anyway, we've known for years that there are sounds that dogs can hear that people can't. But special sounds just for young humans? Interesting! And makes me wish I'd known about it "back when," because for me, it's too late.

How about you? Can you hear it? Leave us a comment and let us know, along with whether you are over 25 or under...

36 fresh comments:

Alea said...

Well, I AM 25 so I figured it was a 50/50 chance, I'll have to try again next year because I could definitely hear it and it was definitely annoying! Very interesting!

TinaFerraro said...

Thanks, Alea, you are the perfect test case! Right on the age line!

Anonymous said...

I'm 27 and I could totally hear it! I'm really sensitive to that kind of thing. TVs sometimes make those types of noises and they drive me insane. My 39 year old coworker also heard it.

Anonymous said...

I could hear it! I'm turning 21 this year.

It made my ears itch, as well as made my dog go crazy.

Erika Powell said...

i am 22 and I can hear it, not that i wanted too. how annoying

Deborah Kerbel said...

Hi Tina,
That was the most annoying ego-boost I've ever received!
I could hear it!! And it sounded awful! And I'm....gulp...37 years old. But a teenager at heart...

TinaFerraro said...

You guys all have young, super ears!

Anyone else in the "hearing impaired camp?" (Besides the friend who told me about this, my husband and me?)

Anonymous said...

Right when I pushed play, my 18 y/o son walked in the room and said "do you hear ringing?" He thought his ears were ringing or something, and I burst out laughing because I couldn't hear a thing! (I'm 45.)

Diana_Duncan said...

Yes, I heard it. But even tho I'm well over 25 chronologically, I'm about, oh, maybe 6 years old emotionally. *G*

TinaFerraro said...

Shari, your experience duplicated mine with my son and my friend with hers!

TinaFerraro said...

Diana, remind me never to whisper about you behind your back. LOL.

Jennifer August said...

I can't hear it and I'm well over teenagerhood. When MY teen gets home I'll have him check it out. He'll get a kick out of it!

gNat said...

I hear it and I'm (koff) well over 25. heh, I thought it was going to be a recording of a mom voice saying "clean your room."

TinaFerraro said...

LOL, Natale. I know for a fact my kids can't hear those words out of my mouth!

Susan Gable said...

I can hear it. And I'm way over 25. (g) Yeay me? lol. It was very annoying.

Natalie Hatch said...

I'm 38 and could hear it very loudly indeed. But then I'm a teacher and my students have always complained that I have supersonic hearing. LOL

deltay said...

Ouch - yep I can hear it. (I'm sixteen)

Cindy Procter-King said...

LOL, that's hilarious! I played it, and as it went through I heard *something* that did get more annoying as it continued, but more like my ears ringing than anything else (and I am waay over 25). So I called my 18 year old son in from the kitchen and said, "Honey, I'm going to play this for you and tell me what you hear," and he said, "What? That annoying high-pitched whine? I wondered what that was."

I hadn't played it for him yet. He heard it the first time, 30 feet away in the kitchen, while I, right in front of the monitor, wasn't sure if I was hearing something or not.

Anonymous said...

I can't hear a thing but my kids and my brother can. My brother is 35 but still thinks like a teen. :-)

Diana Dang said...

My ears!

Lol, do you know of another pitching sound that cellphones make? That way when the kids receive a call, their teachers won't hear!

Megan said...

I heard it, and I'm 16. My almost 60 dad could hear it too.

Drea said...

I'm 27 and not only did I hear it, but it was kind of painful

Iris Black said...

Annoyingly, I am very able to hear it. I am still in high school, where this sound is causing a TON of problems.

You see, teachers can't hear this sound as a ring tone, so kids love to download it so they can text/take calls in class. Misery- hearing this gives me a splitting headache.

Anyways, the reason younger adults can hear it is due to the aging process. As you age, the sensitive hairs in your inner ear stiffen (they can't detect higher frequencies). So really, it depends on how "young" your ears are!

Iris
http://www.irisblack-author.blogspot.com

Meredith said...

I passed! I am 21. My brother who is 19 could also hear it. But my mom, who's age I will not reveal, was also in the room & could not hear it.

~Meredith

Katie said...

I am 17 and I could definitely hear it and it was not a pleasant noise.

GreenBeanTeenQueen said...

Wow I'm really depressed now. I'm 26 and I couldn't hear it at all but my fiance who's also 26 said he heard it and it was annoying and was shocked I didn't hear a thing. I'm getting old:(

Patricia said...

I didn't think I would hear it so when I did, it kind of startled me. And then I wondered if I was hearing the correct thing. :) I'm just past 26, so maybe I'm still on the cusp.

The Outsider said...

couldn't hear a thing. my son has this on his phone and held it right up to my ear and THEN i could hear it. painful! but years and years of rock concerts have ruined my hearing, so no, can't hear it.

-Amy

TinaFerraro said...

Thanks to all who commented...I find this so interesting, and special thanks to Iris for that nice explanation!

Anonymous said...

GAH!!!! THAT NOISE IS SOOOO ANNOYING!!!!!!
I'm 16 and, yup, I can hear it and my ears are STILL ringing from it! :[

I tried it on my parents too, who are both over 50 years old. My dad can faintly hear it but my mom can't hear it at all!

Grace

Reverie said...

i heard it. I'm 21. good thing i guess?
intersting.....

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

Great blog, Tina!! Thanks for everyone giving it a go!

freewriter said...

Sob! I couldn't hear it but my 14 year old could. I am shocked though that my husband, who is 37 did hear it. Then again he has perfect hearing except for when it is my voice =)

Anonymous said...

I heard it! I'm 26! I'm going crazy with the exclamation marks for some reason!

Ben Esch

www.benjaminesch.com

GirlforChrist said...

That is sooooo cool! I'm under 25 and I could definitely hear it!! Annoying!!

Mrs. F-B's Books Blog said...

My husband's a HS computer teacher, and we had talked about this very thing a while back b/c apparently there's a cell phone pitch kids are using now so their parents/teachers can't hear it. Anyway, he said some of his computers started making a high pitched noise the other day, and what do you know, he could hear the noise on some of them, but some others that the kids said were definitely making a noise, he couldn't hear. Crazy! Over 25 (and then some!)