Biology
Human Hearing Range
Quick fact
A teenager might hear up to 20,000 Hz, but a 60-year-old may only hear up to 12,000 Hz due to natural age-related hearing loss (presbycusis).
Why this is interesting
You hear a friend's whisper but not a dog whistle—why? Because your ears are tuned to a specific range of frequencies called the human hearing range.
Read the full explanation
Understanding Human Hearing Range
Sound travels through air as pressure waves, and the frequency of these waves determines pitch—measured in Hertz (Hz). The human ear can detect vibrations between about 20 Hz (a deep bass rumble) and 20,000 Hz (a high-pitched squeak). Frequencies below 20 Hz are called infrasound; those above 20,000 Hz are ultrasound. Think of it as a window: you can hear what's inside, but not what's outside. This window shrinks as you age, especially at the high end, because the delicate hair cells in the inner ear that sense high frequencies are more easily damaged.
A deeper explanation
Inside your inner ear, the cochlea contains a spiral-shaped basilar membrane that vibrates at specific locations depending on frequency. High-frequency sounds cause vibrations near the entrance; low-frequency sounds travel deeper. Hair cells along the membrane convert these vibrations into nerve signals. The hair cells for high frequencies are more exposed to mechanical stress and are typically the first to be damaged by loud noise or aging. This explains why hearing loss usually affects high pitches first. Understanding this range matters not only for hearing health but also for designing alarms, music, and audio devices that match human capabilities, and for comparing how other animals like bats or elephants hear vastly different ranges.