When a horse whinnies, there's more than meets the ear
NPR • • science
Key Points:
- Elodie Briefer, an animal behavioral scientist, discovered that horses produce two simultaneous frequencies in their whinnies—a low tone from vocal fold vibrations and a high-pitched whistle from a constriction above the larynx.
- Using endoscopic videos, excised larynx experiments, helium airflow tests, and CT scans, Briefer and her team confirmed that horses use both vocal fold vibrations and a unique whistle mechanism to create their distinctive two-toned whinnies.
- The study found that horses with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy, which impairs vocal fold function, lacked the low tone but still produced the high-pitched whistle, further supporting the dual-source sound production.
- This dual-tone whinny likely conveys complex emotional
