Many parents know that loud noise can hurt a child’s hearing. Very loud sounds—from fireworks or firearms, for example—can cause immediate damage. Using personal listening devices for music, videos ...

We used a professional sound meter to measure the din of daily life and talked to scientists about the health risks it can pose. A looping video of a suburban neighborhood curbside on a cloudy day.

From a blackbird’s song to the rumble of a passing train, sounds are produced by vibrations moving through the air, ground, or water in invisible waves. When those soundwaves enter your ear, they make ...