Dinosaurs were almost certainly not silent, though sound doesn’t fossilise, making it difficult to know exactly what they sounded like. However, new technologies like CT scans and rare fossil discoveries are helping scientists reconstruct their likely sound profiles.
According to a report by the BBC, one striking example is Parasaurolophus tubicen, which had a dramatic crest nearly 3 metres long on its skull. This acted as a resonating chamber, and researchers have recreated the sound it might have produced: a surreal, low-frequency call that could cut through dense vegetation.
To model dinosaur sounds, scientists rely on phylogenetic comparisons with modern relatives like birds and crocodiles. These suggest that dinosaurs may have produced grunts, growls, and deep bellows, but not necessarily the roaring sounds popularised by films.
The discovery of a fossilised syrinx (a vocal organ found only in birds) in the ancient species Vegavis iaai indicates that some dinosaurs- particularly bird ancestors- could produce bird-like sounds. At the same time, a fossilised larynx in Pinacosaurus grangeri suggests the potential for loud and complex vocalisations.
Most dinosaurs likely produced low-frequency or even infrasonic sounds, like elephants and crocodiles, capable of travelling long distances. They may also have used closed-mouth vocalisation, inflating their necks to produce sound- similar to ostriches and pigeons.
Finally, fossilised cochleae (inner ear structures) reveal that dinosaurs could likely perceive a wide range of frequencies, including high one- possibly for communication between parents and offspring, like modern birds and reptiles.
Due to their long necks, some massive dinosaurs may have lacked precise vocal control, relying more on tactile communication, such as tail contact within herds.
