The ocean might seem peaceful from above, but there’s a lot more beneath its surface, and it is not quiet. The underwater world is alive with a surprising mix of sounds from clicks and whistles to booming calls that travel for miles. While we often imagine marine life as silent swimmers, many sea creatures rely on sound to communicate, hunt, navigate, and even protect their territory. In fact, some of the loudest animals on Earth live in the ocean.
Sound travels faster and farther in water than in air, which makes it a powerful medium for marine life. Be it deep-sea creatures or surface dwellers, many animals have evolved to be incredibly loud, sometimes louder than jet engines or thunder. These sounds may be used to keep away predators or simply send messages to other members of their species across long distances.
Scientists have used advanced underwater microphones to capture and study these powerful noises and found out that the ocean is filled with some truly noisy residents. Here are five of the loudest marine animals that rule the underwater soundscape.