Is it possible to kill someone with a sound?

Answer 1

Play the new Paris Hilton cd and you will have your answer.

Answer 2

Sound is a mechanical wave which results from the longitudinal motion of the particles of the medium through which the sound wave is moving. Sound waves exert sound pressure that can be measured. A high enough sound pressure, OF ANY FREQUENCY can kill people and actually pulverize things.

Have you never heard of opera singers hitting notes that can shatter glass? That happens because they hit the resonant frequency of that object, but if the sound pressure is high enough you don't need to hit the resonant frequency. If the sound is "loud" enough even bricks can be turned to dust and people can be killed. So why don't we have sound weapons? Well the military actually has a sound weapon in testing, but it requires a lot of energy and equipment to operate and the logistics of providing that on the battlefield is immense.

An interesting and terrifing aspect of sonic weapons is that you can adjust the amplitude and the frequency to deliver different desired effects. You can cause discomfort, tissue trauma, or even death just by simple adjustments.

Answer 3

Despite advice to the contrary above, a very loud sound CAN kill you.

For decades, the militaries of numerous countries have been experimenting with sound as a way to kill and disable. In fact, devices using targeted or focused high amplitude sound within the audible frequency range have been used to disorient terrorists and hostage-takers. It is an extremely effective technology, not only for its effect on the individual targeted, but for not affecting persons mere feet away. At moderate levels it causes extreme pain even unconsciousness; there are levels at which, however, death can occur.

Answer 4

Every year for many years there has been a competition to have the loudest car speakers in the world. (I am not making this up) The cars have to be outfitted with special glass windows so they won't shatter & a recording device is placed inside each car to record how loud it was. No one is allowed to be inside the cars during the test because their heart would stop from the intensity of the sonic energy. It was the first instance I had heard of lethal levels of sound.

Afterward, I also read of the military research into weapons as referenced above.

;-)

Answer 5

there was something in the paper about this a few days ago. as i rare condition a ladies husband died because of a loud bang or something, also the son has this condition and the live in fear for the son. I can remember what it is called . so the answer is yes it is possible to kill somebody with sound. However if it was for a normal person with out this condition i supose it would be die of fright

Answer 6

Are you referring to this article in the New Scientist?

The Pentagon is considering an ear-blasting anti-hijack gun

There is an anti- intruder device which can cause a person to collapse and vomit, maybe it could cause death eventually.

Here is a report on the CHEYYENE MOUNTAIN system.
Sonic pulse field generators (SPFG) were another innovation that became part of the HELICIS system. Generating sound waves that could cause discomfort, nausea, pain, unconsciousness, loss of hearing, or even disrupt living tissue with frequencies that were capable of liquefying flesh and even shearing through bone.

Answer 7

Researchers at U.S. national laboratories are also reportedly in the process of developing various means for using sound and light as weapons. For example, ultra-sound generators, as well as microwave and acoustic disabling systems, may be used to disturb the inner ear, throwing an individual off balance.

Sommary: One day there may be a weapon with the cabability of killing someone with sound, but now, it is used only as a type of less leathal weapon :)

Answer 8

An earthquake is the same thing as a sound wave. It just propagates through the earth instead of through the air. These soundwaves can collapse buildings and kill many many people.

Answer 9

You've got some silly answers in here, some cracked me up. I think my husband would agree with some of these dudes about their wives nagging making them want to die. But back to your question, YES! I was recently at a concert and the loud beat of the base threw a woman's heart off rhythm and she died of a heart attack. I actually helped clear a path so that ambulance workers could get her out of the crowd.

Answer 10

Ultrasound, if given a high enough frequency & intensity. This will kill us by concussion effect, smashing all internal organs & turning them into jelly.

So far, there's no such weapon yet though someone or some countries may be doing research on it.

Answer 11

Not only possible but I think it's been done countless times without anybody being aware of it or having it passed off as something else. Focus. They shatter kidney stones from the outside with one of those things. Not a big jump to design a super duper.