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Scientists Recreate 165‑Million‑Year‑Old Jurassic Insect Chirps

Scientists from the University of Graz, Lincoln, Bristol, Beijing, and Tempe have used fossils from Inner Mongolia to recreate the chirps of nine Jurassic grasshopper species. The study, published in the journal PNAS, analyzed the wing‑ridge structures that produced stridulations, allowing researchers to estimate the pitch and rhythm of the insects' calls. By combining fossil morphology with AI‑assisted simulations, the team generated audio files that show frequencies ranging from low, cricket‑like tones to high, leafhopper‑like sounds. Remarkably, one species, Sigmaboilus peregrinus, produced ultrasonic calls between 20 and 22 kilohertz - well above human hearing and predating the first known bats. This finding challenges the idea that high‑frequency insect sounds evolved solely to evade bat predation and suggests alternative drivers such as predator avoidance or mating strategies. The reconstruction demonstrates that the Jurassic period had a far richer and more diverse acoustic landscape than previously understood. The work also marks the oldest known reproduction of animal sound, providing a new window into prehistoric ecosystems.

· Good News Network

The essential points

  1. 01Scientists used AI to simulate chirps of 9 Jurassic grasshopper species from Inner Mongolia fossils.
  2. 02One species produced ultrasonic calls 20‑22 kHz, predating bats and challenging bat‑avoidance theories.
  3. 03Reconstruction reveals a diverse acoustic environment in the Jurassic period.
  4. 04Study published in PNAS, first ever reproduction of ancient insect sounds.
The full brief

Scientists from the University of Graz, Lincoln, Bristol, Beijing, and Tempe have used fossils from Inner Mongolia to recreate the chirps of nine Jurassic grasshopper species. The study, published in the journal PNAS, analyzed the wing‑ridge structures that produced stridulations, allowing researchers to estimate the pitch and rhythm of the insects' calls. By combining fossil morphology with AI‑assisted simulations, the team generated audio files that show frequencies ranging from low, cricket‑like tones to high, leafhopper‑like sounds.

Remarkably, one species, Sigmaboilus peregrinus, produced ultrasonic calls between 20 and 22 kilohertz - well above human hearing and predating the first known bats. This finding challenges the idea that high‑frequency insect sounds evolved solely to evade bat predation and suggests alternative drivers such as predator avoidance or mating strategies. The reconstruction demonstrates that the Jurassic period had a far richer and more diverse acoustic landscape than previously understood.

The work also marks the oldest known reproduction of animal sound, providing a new window into prehistoric ecosystems.