Full Breakdown
Scientists Recreate Jurassic Insect Chirps Using AI-Driven Wing Modeling
9/6/2026, 7:44:14 PM
Recreating Jurassic Insect Calls
A team of paleobiologists and bioacousticians used artificial-intelligence simulations of fossilized wing structures to generate the sounds that extinct, katydid-like insects likely produced 165 million years ago. The results, published on August 25 in *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*, reveal a Jurassic soundscape richer than previously imagined.
Fossil Evidence and Modeling Approach
Researchers examined 20 well-preserved insect fossils from Inner Mongolia, China, representing nine species related to modern crickets and katydids. By measuring the number, spacing, and size of wing teeth, they inferred the vibratory properties that would have determined pitch and rhythm. Modern insect stridulation was recorded with laser vibrometry, providing a comparative framework. An AI model then simulated wing vibration based on the fossil geometry, producing predicted acoustic patterns for each species.
Sound Characteristics and Evolutionary Implications
Most simulated calls fall in the low-frequency range of about five kilohertz, comparable to contemporary cricket notes and described as “pure tone” chirps. Notably, the katydid relative *Sigmaboilus peregrinus* was predicted to emit ultrasonic sounds between 20 kHz and 22 kHz—just above the upper limit of human hearing (20 kHz). This finding challenges the long-standing hypothesis that bat predation drove the evolution of ultrasonic insect calls, because *S. peregrinus* existed millions of years before the first bats. The authors propose that predation by a broader suite of mammals and non-mammalian predators, or the need to stand out in a crowded acoustic environment, may have favored higher-pitched signals.
Researchers’ Interpretations
Behavioral ecologist Robin Tinghitella of the University of Denver called the ultrasonic hypothesis “an absolutely plausible idea,” noting that many organisms could have been listening to insects.
Future Directions
The study offers a methodological roadmap for reconstructing other extinct sound-producing structures, suggesting that AI-based simulations could eventually illuminate the full acoustic ecology of ancient ecosystems.
