Re: Aquatic ape theory
pete (VINCENT@REG.TRIUMF.CA)
2 Oct 1995 08:08:19 GMT
Phillip Bigelow (n8010095@cc.wwu.edu) sez:
`hubey@pegasus.montclair.edu (H.M. Hubey) responded:
`Hubey:
`>OUr hearing is beaten by other animals in air too, say like dogs.
`>We can't hear beyond 20KHz whereas dogs can hear up to twice as
`>high. Other animals might outperform us too.
` Yup, but our hearing is STILL worse in water than it is in air.
Hmm, I don't know why you would say this. Any creature's hearing
is much better under water, because of the way sound travels
through water. I've never noticed any difficulty hearing and
locating sounds underwater. And I can hear a power boat long
before it sounds above water. The sound is often so clear
that I'm fooled into thinking a boat is close approaching
when it turns out to be still half a mile away. Sounds generated
in the air, particularly high above sea level, are sometimes
attenuated when they refract into the water, and of course
near a beach, the surf can mask a lot of sounds, but in general
no, my hearing is not impaired underwater at all.
--
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vincent@triumf.ca <== faster % Pete Vincent
vincent@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca % Disclaimer: all I know I
% learned from reading Usenet.
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