CultureJuly 16, 2026

bioacoustics

/ˌbaɪ.oʊ.əˈkuː.stɪks/

Definition

The scientific study of sound in nature, specifically using acoustic monitoring to detect and analyze the presence and activity of wildlife in urban or natural environments.

Etymology

The term is a compound formed from the Greek 'bios' (life) and 'akoustikos' (relating to hearing or sound). It entered modern scientific terminology to describe the intersection of biology and physics regarding sound.

In the news

In this article, bioacoustics is used as a tool by scientists and citizens to identify and study hidden life in South Africa’s urban areas, demonstrating how soundscapes reveal biodiversity.

Plant-based traditional food in Zimbabwe

Read the full article ↗

DW.com

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.

Not for marketing. One email on launch day.