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- Unearthing an ancient orchestra: fossils with musical clues
- How wing ridges become sound: the science behind stridulation
- What the reconstructed calls sounded like
- Why ultrasonic calls matter for evolutionary biology
- Broader significance: the oldest sounds we can hear
- What this means for future research and listening
Imagine stepping into a Jurassic night and hearing more than the distant bellows of dinosaurs — a chorus of tiny instruments clicking, rubbing and singing in the undergrowth. Thanks to a new international collaboration, scientists have rebuilt the mating songs of 165-million-year-old insects, turning fossilized wing imprints into audible chirps that reveal a previously unheard dimension of prehistoric life.
Using exceptionally preserved fossils from Inner Mongolia and a suite of modern tools, researchers have translated the ridges and teeth on ancient wings into the specific pitches and rhythms those insects produced, publishing their work in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
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Unearthing an ancient orchestra: fossils with musical clues
Paleontologists working with colleagues across Europe, Asia and North America examined nine species of fossilized Orthoptera — the insect group that includes crickets, grasshoppers and katydids. These specimens, dated to the Middle Jurassic period, preserved the tiny comb-like structures insects use to make sound, providing a rare window into the acoustic behavior of animals from deep time.
- Location and age: Middle Jurassic deposits in what is now Inner Mongolia.
- Specimens: Nine distinct Orthoptera species with exceptionally preserved wing anatomy.
- Publication: Results released in PNAS by an international team led in part by researchers from the University of Graz.
How wing ridges become sound: the science behind stridulation
Modern crickets and grasshoppers produce sound by rubbing specialized wing parts together — a process called stridulation. The tempo and pitch of those signals depend on the number, spacing and shape of tiny teeth on a wing vein, and on how the wings move.
From fossil imprint to frequency map
The research team used detailed imaging of the fossilized wing structures, combined with mechanical and computational models, to infer how those wings would vibrate during a stridulation event. They then translated those vibrations into sound frequencies, using AI tools to refine estimates and to simulate how each species’ call would likely have sounded.
- High-resolution imaging captured the geometry of stridulatory files (the toothed wing ridges).
- Biomechanical simulations estimated wing movement and resonant behavior.
- AI-assisted analysis converted structural patterns into predicted frequencies and temporal patterns.
What the reconstructed calls sounded like
The reconstructed audio spanned a surprising range. Some species produced low, pure tones comparable to the deep trills of modern crickets; others emitted higher-frequency signals closer to those of contemporary leafhoppers. The team even identified one species that would have sounded at ultrasonic pitches, beyond the hearing range of most humans.
Notable discovery: A katydid relative, named Sigmaboilus peregrinus, likely produced calls between about 20 and 22 kHz — frequencies that sit just above typical human hearing.
Why ultrasonic calls matter for evolutionary biology
Biologists have long thought ultrasonic signaling in insects evolved in response to bat predation: tiny, high-frequency calls could reduce detection or maximize signal transmission at night. But the presence of ultrasonic stridulation in S. peregrinus challenges that timeline — these insects were calling millions of years before the earliest known bats appeared.
- Alternative explanations: Ultrasonic signals may have helped avoid detection by other predators, offered cleaner transmission through dense vegetation, or acted as a mating strategy to stand out against environmental noise.
- Implications: The finding suggests complex acoustic ecology existed long before mammals dominated night skies, and that selective pressures shaping insect communication were already diverse in the Jurassic.
Broader significance: the oldest sounds we can hear
Though vocal cords and soft tissues rarely fossilize, the physical record left by wing structures acts like a natural score. By translating those marks into audible sounds, researchers have produced what they describe as the earliest reproducible acoustic signals from Earth — older than any human musical notation and far older than usually imagined acoustic records.
The combination of fossil evidence, biomechanical reconstruction and machine learning not only recreates the calls themselves but opens a new pathway to study how ancient ecosystems used sound. The researchers say these methods reveal a Jurassic world that was acoustically rich and more behaviorally complex than previously recognized.
What this means for future research and listening
The study demonstrates a technique that can be applied to other well-preserved insect fossils, potentially allowing scientists to map prehistoric soundscapes across regions and epochs. Beyond adding color to the past, these reconstructions can help answer evolutionary questions about communication strategies, predation pressures and how ecosystems shaped sensory systems.
Lead researchers note that their work is both a technical proof of concept and an invitation: with more fossils and improved modeling, the chorus of ancient life — from tiny stridulators to larger vocalizers — may be reconstructed in even greater detail, letting us hear the deep past in a way that had previously been impossible.
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Michael Thompson is an experienced journalist covering U.S. and global news. With ten years on the front lines, he breaks down political and economic stories that matter. His precise writing and keen attention to detail help you grasp the real‑world impact of every event.
Oh boy, imagine being a tiny insect back in the day, just chirping away in the Jurassic era. Bet they had some wild jams! Wonder if they had a favorite hit song. Maybe a prehistoric version of Stairway to Heaven?
Man, imagine jammin to some prehistoric beats! Like, insects had a whole orchestra goin on 165 million years ago? Thats wild! Can you imagine a T-Rex tappin its foot to that sound? Natures concert, man.
Man, imagine bumping into a T-Rex and hearing its chirps for real! This sound recreation stuff is mind-blowing. Next thing you know, theyll be making a mixtape of Cretaceous jams.
Man, these scientists are really taking us on a trip back in time with these ancient insect chirps. Wonder if T-Rex ever cranked up the volume to jam along with these prehistoric tunes.
Whoa, hold up! 165 million-year-old insect sounds? Thats some next-level time-traveling audio experience right there! Imagine tuning in to a prehistoric bug rave. Bet those ancient critters had some wild parties!
So, like, are we gonna have a prehistoric rave with these bug beats? Imagine T-Rexes dropping sick moves to 165 million-year-old tunes. Science can be wild, man.
Man, imagine if our ancestors heard these ancient bug jams! Like, 165 million years ago, insects were already dropping mixtapes. Can you picture a T-Rex bopping to that prehistoric beat? Just vibing.
No way! 165 million years back, insects were jamming like rockstars? Imagine being a dino at that gig! Now I cant stop thinking about T-Rex headbanging to a prehistoric beat. Science is wild, man!
Man, imagine being a bug back in the Jurassic era, chirping away in the prehistoric orchestra. Bet they had some wild tunes! Now I wanna hear a T-Rex jamming to those ancient beats!
Im telling you, imagine being a time traveler and stumbling upon these prehistoric critters jamming away! Bet they were throwing the wildest underground music festivals back then. Who knew insects could be such rockstars, huh?
Dude, 100% feel ya on that! Can you picture rolling up to a prehistoric mosh pit with those giant insects shredding on their tiny guitars? Insane, man! Bet they were the OG rockstars before humans even knew how to bang on drums. Like, who needs Woodstock when you got a bunch of ancient bugs dropping sick beats, right?
Man, imagine jamming to prehistoric bug beats? Bet they had a wild playlist back then. Who knew insects were the original rockstars? Cant wait for the remix album!
Yo, did you hear bout those scientists recreatin ancient insect chirps? Thats wild, man! Imagine time-travelin through soundscapes. Bet those bugs had some sick beats back in the day!
Man, imagine being a mosquito 165 million years ago, jamming to these ancient insect tunes. Bet they had a real Jurassic Park vibe going on! Wonder if T-Rex ever grooved to these beats…
Man, 165 million years ago, the bugs were jammin! Imagine a prehistoric rave with insects droppin sick beats. Bet they had a better playlist than my cousins wedding. Science is wild, yo.
Man, these scientists be bringing back the prehistoric jams! Imagine groovin to a 165-million-year-old bug choir. Wonder if they were into hip-hop or more of the classic rock vibe. Gotta respect those OG insect tunes!
Man, imagine jammin to prehistoric bugs like a time-traveling DJ. Cant wait for the remix! Wonder if they had dino raves back then. Lets party like its 165 million BC!
Oh man, imagine being a tiny bug back in the day, chirping away in the Jurassic era like a little rock star. Bet they had their own tiny insect concerts. Nature never ceases to amaze me!
Man, imagine jammin to prehistoric beats, like a caveman DJ! Jurassic insect chirps? Thats like the OG EDM, natures own mixtape. Science is wild, recreating ancient tunes and all.
Dude, Im tellin ya, those ancient jams are where its at! Can you picture a woolly mammoth droppin the bass? Its like Mother Natures very own DJ throwin down! Science be playin with fire, mixin up them prehistoric bops. Im lowkey hyped to hear what our ancestors were vibin to back in the day!
Dang, imagine jammin to 165 million-year-old insect tunes! Natures original DJs. Bet they were droppin beats before beats were a thing. Cant wait for the remix!
Man, those ancient bugs mustve been throwin down some sick beats back in the day! Can you imagine a remix of that? Like, prehistoric EDM meets Jurassic Park vibes. Bet they had the jungle floor jumpin before humans even knew how to dance. Cant wait for that remix drop!
Man, imagine being a dino fly on the wall back then! Bet they thought they were rockin the original Jurassic Park soundtrack. Cant wait for the remix featuring these ancient insect vibes!
Man, who knew bugs had a symphony back in the Jurassic era? Imagine if they had a concert hall. Bet it would be a hit with the fossils! Wonder if they played any rock n roll in those times.
Dude, bugs jammin out in the Jurassic? Thats wild! Can you picture a beetle shredding a guitar solo? *laughs* If they had a concert hall, I bet even T-Rex wouldve headbanged to some prehistoric rock n roll! Wonder if they had a mosh pit back then? *winks*
Man, talk about a blast from the past! Imagine being a tiny insect back then, chirping away in the Jurassic era. Bet they had some wild concerts going on, way before humans even thought about music. Natures original rockstars, I tell ya!
Man, hearing ancient insect sounds? Thats like tuning in to the original Jurassic Spotify playlist! Wonder if T-Rexes were jamming to this prehistoric chirping. Natures got some wild remixes!
Man, imagine being a fly on the wall back then, or like, a fly in the Jurassic era! These scientists recreatin ancient bug sounds are like time travelers with a beat. Wonder if T-Rex dug the tunes.