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Have you ever wanted to turn down the volume at a deafening¹ concert or noisy bar? Envy the whale: a new study finds that toothed whales can reduce their own auditory sensitivity when they expect a loud sound. The work is presented at this week’s Acoustics² 2012 meeting.

Whales and dolphins rely on their responsive hearing to interpret returning echolocation clicks. Previous research suggested that these marine³ mammals could dull their hearing before uttering outgoing echolocation clicks, which are very loud. Could they use the same coping mechanism⁴ for external noises?

To find out, researchers trained a false killer⁵ whale that a loud noise would always follow a brief warning signal. Then, they attached suction-cup sensors⁶ to the outside of the whale’s head and played the signal. The sensors measured brainwaves that indicated the whale did reduce its hearing sensitivity in expectation of a clamor. The researchers hope to test other species as well.

Loud noises from ships can disturb whales. To accommodate marine life, perhaps vessels⁷ could emit signals before making a ruckus, warning whales to tune⁸ us out.

Thanks for the minute for Scientific Americans 60 second science, I am Sophie Bushwick

auditory:related to hearing

clamor:a loud continuous noise

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收听单词发音

1 deafening
adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的动词deafen的现在分词形式
参考例句：
The noise of the siren was deafening her. 汽笛声震得她耳朵都快聋了。 The noise of the machine was deafening. 机器的轰鸣声震耳欲聋。

2 acoustics
n.声学，(复)音响效果，音响装置
参考例句：
The acoustics of the new concert hall are excellent.这座新音乐厅的音响效果极好。 The auditorium has comfortable seating and modern acoustics.礼堂里有舒适的座椅和现代化的音响设备。

3 marine
adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵
参考例句：
Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。 When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

4 mechanism
n.机械装置；机构，结构
参考例句：
The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。 The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

5 killer
n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者
参考例句：
Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。 The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

6 sensors
n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )
参考例句：
There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。来自《简明英汉词典》 Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。来自辞典例句

7 vessels
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人
参考例句：
The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。来自《简明英汉词典》 All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 tune
n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整
参考例句：
He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。 The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。