The human voice and the ability to communicate our thoughts with words and sounds is one of the things that makes humans unique from animals. Others animals like chimps can vocalize, but humans can sing, orate, talk, or beatbox. We use it to express our feelings and thoughts through sounds, words, and melodies. Have you ever wondered what science of sound gives us different this unique ability?
How Does The Human Voice Work?
The human voice is produced by air being breathed out from the lungs, up the trachea, or wind pipe, into the larynx, or voice box. In the voice box, the air vibrates the vocal cords. Those vibrations produce speaking, humming, singing. It sounds simple right? However, it is physiologically complex process. It involves our lungs, rib cage, diaphragm, oral cavity, trachea, larynx, nasal cavity, tongue, lips, hard palate, soft palate, chin, skull and brain. Check out what Professor Sophie Scott, who specializes in the science of sound, has discovered about our power of communication.
Want to know more about the human voice? Check out one of our favourite podcasts!
References:
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129083762
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-human-voice-lesson-for-kids.html
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-physiology-of-human-language-speech.html