A team of cognitive neuroscientists at the University of Zurich, has found that ancient Aztec "skull whistles" found in gravesites are able to instill fear in modern people. In their study, published in the journal Communications Psychology, the group recorded the neural and psychological responses of volunteers as they listened to the screams produced by the whistles.

wikipedia

Phys.org

United Kingdom

Ancient Aztec 'skull whistles' found to instill fear in modern people

Swiss and Norwegian neuroscientists have discovered that the ancient Aztec death whistle -- often credited with emitting the scariest sound on earth -- still terrifies people today due to a primal fear response.

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New York Post

Murdoch family

New York

United States

Ancient Aztec death whistle still terrifies people today, study finds — and you can listen if you’re brave enough

ANCIENT Aztec ‘death whistles’ have a strange ‘uncanny valley’-style effect on the human brain, new research has found.  These clay instruments were often shaped like human skulls, and are known for their eerie, blood-curdling sounds. WikipediaThe sounds were classified in the brain, according to the researchers, as a “hybrid mix of being voice- and scream-like but also originating from technical mechanisms”[/caption]
Each blow of the whistle mi…

The Sun

Listen to death whistles from skull-shaped relic that 'screams from underworld'

Ranging from a threatening hiss to a blood-curdling scream, the sound of the Aztec death whistle is as creepy as the skull-like appearance of the instrument that produces it.Brain scans suggest the whistle's tones may do more than create a scary ambience. Swiss and Norwegian researchers found hearing them activates a variety of higher order centers in our brains, suggesting a complexity to the sound that can only be described as an alarming mix …

Science Alert

Australia

Creepy Aztec Death Whistles Have a Strange Effect on The Human Brain

Creepy Noise Described as 'World's Scariest Sound' - What 'Death Whistle' Sounds Like

Ο ανατριχιαστικός θόρυβος περιγράφεται ως ο «πιο τρομακτικός ήχος στον κόσμο» - Πώς ακούγεται η «σφυρίχτρα θανάτου»

Η «σφυρίχτρα θανάτου» των Αζτέκων τρομοκρατεί ανθρώπους μέχρι σήμερα, σύμφωνα με έρευνα

Protothema

The Aztec 'death whistle' still terrifies people to this day, according to research

One of the most remarkable ancient musical instruments ever discovered is the so-called Aztec death whistle. Newly published research seems to confirm the correctness of the ‘death whistle’ label, as it turns out these whistles create sounds that would be at home on the soundtrack of any good horror movie, based on the way they are perceived by the human brain—which is as frightening, and possibly extremely so depending on the circumstances. 
Re…

Ancient Origins

Dublin

County Dublin

Ireland

Aztec Death Whistle Will Mess Up Your Mind, Study Reveals

The horrifying instruments may have been used to strike fear into enemies' hearts on the battlefield.

IFLScience

Aztec Death Whistles Have A Terrifying Effect On Listeners’ Brains

The sound of the skull whistle sounds like a shrill scream. The Aztecs may have used this musical instrument to sacrifice people in a state of fear.

Wie ein schriller Schrei klingt der Ton der Totenkopfpfeife. Die Azteken nutzten dieses Musikinstrument vielleicht, um Menschen in angstvollem Zustand zu opfern.

Horrorsound: Aztekenpfeife versetzt Menschen in Angst und Schrecken

spektrum.de

Heidelberg

Baden-Württemberg

Germany

Horror sound: Aztec whistle terrifies people

New research reveals that the sound from an ancient Aztec skull whistle greatly affects the listener’s brain, causing discomfort and fear. For the first time, scientists have analyzed the impact of the skull-shaped whistle created by the ancient Aztecs on the human brain. IFL Science reported on November 15. New research conducted by expert Sascha […]

observatorial.com

How does the Aztec death whistle affect the human brain? – The Observatorial

A team examined these skull-shaped artifacts, uncovering how the Aztecs may have used sound as a psychological tool during their most sacred and brutal rituals. The post Ancient Aztec death whistle had a terrifying effect on the human brain appeared first on Study Finds.

Aztec Death Whistles Reveal Ancient Psychological Mastery

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