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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIn a 2026 ocean study, free-swimming blacktip sharks off South Florida responded to certain low-frequency sounds from as far as 74 metres (243 feet)—the basis for “nearly 250 feet.” The sharks rapidly turned away from the sound source. That behaviour suggests they could determine its direction, but the result is not a universal hearing limit for sharks or a claim that they detect every sound at that distance.
How far away can sharks hear?
Researchers observed responses at up to 74 metres (243 feet) in free-swimming blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) in shallow nearshore waters off Palm Beach County, Florida. The study tested particular low-frequency sounds at high intensity; it did not establish a fixed maximum hearing distance for sharks generally. Florida Atlantic University’s 2026 study summary reports the maximum response distance.
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The sound bands were 100–200 Hz, 200–400 Hz and 400–800 Hz. Sharks responded to those low-frequency stimuli, but not to a 10 kHz control described as outside their known hearing range. Lower-frequency sounds prompted responses farther away and at lower sound levels. More than 70% of responses occurred in the acoustic far field, where sound behaves differently from the near field close to its source. These findings concern the sounds and conditions tested, not all underwater noise. The university’s Newswise summary describes the stimulus bands and responses.
Can sharks tell where a sound comes from?
During the experiment, sharks rapidly changed course away from the sound source. The researchers interpret this orientation behaviour as evidence that the sharks detected the direction of the sound. It is evidence from this controlled experiment, not proof that sharks can precisely locate any sound under all conditions.
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One possible explanation is that sharks detect particle motion associated with sound, including at considerable distances. The authors propose this mechanism; the experiment did not conclusively establish it. Sharks lack the gas-filled swim bladder found in many bony fish, and are thought to rely on their inner ears—including a specialised structure called the macula neglecta—to detect movement and vibration. The peer-reviewed study discusses the findings and their interpretation.
How was the study conducted?
Researchers played controlled underwater sounds while an aerial drone tracked free-swimming sharks. Calibrated hydrophones measured sound levels at different distances. To reduce the boat’s influence, the sound source drifted as far as 19 metres from the anchored vessel. Playing high-intensity sounds allowed the team to observe a startle response; the sounds were not used to attract sharks as prey.
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Conducting the experiment in the ocean let researchers observe wild sharks without the sound reflections caused by tank walls. Lead author Caroline Sullivan explained that reflections in a tank create “complex and confusing signals” and compared the experience to “being in a house of mirrors.” The ocean setting improves the naturalism of the observation, but the study still covered one species, selected sound bands and a particular shallow-water environment.
What the 250-foot finding does—and does not—mean
- It does mean: blacktip sharks in this South Florida field study responded to the tested low-frequency sounds from as far as 74 metres (243 feet).
- It does not mean: every shark species hears every sound from nearly 250 feet away, or that 74 metres is a universal maximum.
- It does not show: that the sounds attracted sharks. The stimuli were played at high intensity to startle them, and the observed movement was away from the source.
- It suggests: the sharks could detect sound direction in the experimental setting, based on their rapid course changes.
For broader context, the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources says sharks seem to hear best in the 20–300 Hz range and notes that detection distance depends on sound-source magnitude and distance. Its page also mentions reports of attraction from over a mile in some tests. Those reports concern a different endpoint and should not be treated as equivalent to the Florida study’s measured response distance. Hawaiʻi DLNR’s shark senses page provides that general context.
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