ScienceAugust 17, 2026
hydrophones
HY-druh-fohnz
Definition
Underwater microphones designed to detect and record sound waves in liquid or dense media, such as water or soil.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'hydro-' (water) and 'phonē' (sound), the term was coined in the early 20th century to describe technology specifically engineered to listen for sounds traveling through water.
In the news
The article describes how researchers use these devices to monitor sounds in environments like the ocean and the soil that are otherwise difficult for humans to access.
Worm munch matters: the new acoustic ecology of the soil
Read the full article ↗Aeon