Owls are known for their ghostly silent flight, gliding through the air without making a sound.
Now, scientists have taken inspiration from these quiet hunters to design a new material that could help reduce noise pollution in our daily lives—from traffic to loud machinery.
The research was published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
The soft feathers and porous skin of owls are nature’s built-in soundproofing.
These features allow them to absorb both high- and low-frequency sounds, helping them hunt silently. Inspired by this natural design, a team of researchers led by Dingding Zong has created a new two-layer aerogel that mimics how owl feathers and skin control sound.
This lightweight and durable material may one day be used in cars, factories, and other noisy environments to block unwanted sound more effectively.
Noise pollution isn’t just annoying—it can be harmful to your health. Exposure to loud sounds over time can lead to hearing loss and has even been linked to serious health conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
While traditional soundproofing materials help, they typically only block certain types of noise. For full noise control, engineers often layer different materials together, which adds bulk and weight.
To solve this problem, the team developed a single, smart material inspired by nature. They started by freezing hexane droplets inside a soft gel, which created a porous, honeycomb-like pattern after the hexane was removed.
This layer mimics owl skin and is especially good at absorbing deep, low-frequency sounds like a car engine. Then, they added a second layer made from silicon nanofibers, which formed a light, fluffy surface—similar to an owl’s feathers—that absorbs high-pitched sounds.
The finished aerogel is not only light and flexible but also highly effective. It absorbed nearly 60% of the soundwaves that hit it, a level that outperforms many current soundproofing materials.
In tests, the material reduced engine noise from 87.5 decibels to 78.6 decibels—a significant and safer drop. It also held up well under pressure, with only 5% change after being compressed 100 times.
This owl-inspired innovation could lead to better, more practical solutions for controlling noise in cars, industrial equipment, and even in buildings. By turning to nature for ideas, scientists are making the world a quieter, healthier place.
