Physicists at the University of Jyväskylä have experimentally proven that sound waves can be transmitted in a vacuum under certain conditions. This finding challenges the famous slogan from the movie Alien, “In space, no one can hear you scream.” According to the publication in Communications Physics, sound waves can overcome a vacuum gap between two solid bodies if the materials are piezoelectric. These materials produce an electrical reaction when subjected to vibrations, allowing an electric field to exist in a vacuum and transmit sound waves across the gap. The transmission of sound in a vacuum works not only in the audible range of frequencies but also in ultrasound and hypersound, as long as the vacuum gap is small enough.
The effect is usually small, but the physicists found situations where the full energy of the wave jumps over the vacuum with 100% efficiency, without any reflections. This phenomenon could have applications in micro-electromechanical components (MEMS) and heat control. The researchers’ findings challenge the long-held belief that sound cannot travel in a vacuum, and their work could have significant implications for future technologies.
In conclusion, the physicists at the University of Jyväskylä have proven that sound waves can be transmitted in a vacuum under certain conditions. This finding could have significant implications for future technologies, including micro-electromechanical components and heat control. The researchers’ work challenges the long-held belief that sound cannot travel in a vacuum and opens up new possibilities for the transmission of sound waves.
