Human beings, like all other living things, depend to a great extent on the senses to function. Our sense of sound helps us pick up vibrations. Some a

Human beings, like all other living things, depend to a great extent on the senses to function. Our sense of sound helps us pick up vibrations. Some are amazing and comforting but others are extremely annoying. We listen to melodious music which we gravitate towards, yet, when we detect the wailing sound of an ambulance or the buzzing of millions of bees, we retreat, cringe or feel irritated. Here are five annoying sounds in the world. 1. Nails Dragging on a Chalkboard We can all agree that the sound of fingernails dragging on a chalkboard is annoying and hard to bear. Scientists explain that the sound produced falls within a band of mid-range frequencies between 2000 and 5000 hertz. It has been suggested that the shape of the human ear canal amplifies these frequencies. Another study found that an increase in communication between a brain region responsible for hearing and another responsible for emotions is brought on by the sound of nails on a chalkboard. Other scraping sounds, like those made by power or dental drills, knives against glasses, forks against plates or teeth, or styrofoam rubbing have the same effect. 2. Vuvuzela The vuvuzela is an instrument created by Isaiah Shembe, the founder of the Nazareth Baptist Church in South Africa. During church events, the vuvuzela was utilized as a religious instrument and was accompanied by African drumming. It was also used during football matches in South Africa by the 1980s. The vuvuzela gained worldwide notoriety during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, held in South Africa. The sound, being made by numerous fans all at once, at different frequencies, resembled the annoying sound of a large swarm of angry wasps. Some spectators actually suffered from hearing loss after that game. The vuvulzela was later banned by FIFA. 3. Other People Arguing People who have all been involved in loud and rowdy arguments will say that there is nothing annoying about the bickering. On the contrary, those who witness it would attest to how uncomfortable and maddening. It’s quite difficult to block out the loud voices and ramblings. It is believed that the reason for this reaction stems from our childhoods. According to psychologists, depending on how parents handled these arguments at home, children are susceptible to their parents’ fights and squabbles. They see arguments as loud and irritating. 4. Coughing, Sniffling Almost everyone can agree that the sounds of coughing and sniffling are repulsive or at the very least obnoxious. People often have strong reactions to these sounds. Acceptance or annoyance of these sounds can be cultural. For instance, people in South America considered them more repulsive and unpleasant than those in the UK. Another explanation would be that these noises are indicative of bodily excretions and secretions. These things are also frequently linked to infections and disease, which may help to explain why hearing them makes individuals feel repulsed or even evasive. 5. Noisy Chewing Have you ever been around people who chew their food loudly? Your immediate thought would be to move away from them. This could be a result of mild misophonia which is a strong reaction and discomfort to specific sounds made by humans. This is a result of the repetitiveness of the sound. This is similar to the annoying sounds of snoring, finger tapping and breathing heavily. Those who are exposed to these sounds may experience modest emotions such as anxiety, disgust, or a desire to leave. More severe reactions include rage, anger and panic.

The Most Annoying Sounds in the World

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