Meet the loudest animal in the world.

Who could have thought that some animals can produce noises than jet engines. or that a tiny shrimp may kill a little fish with its loud noise? Not to be outdone by howler monkeys, how about those insects?

When understanding how whales and dolphins produce some of the loudest noises in the animal kingdom, it's vital to keep in mind that sound travels differently underwater than it does on land, often attenuating sound levels that may otherwise be fatal to human hearing. In the ocean, noise levels between 180 and 200 decibels (dB) wouldn't be lethal, but they would be on shores.

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are considered the loudest mammals on the planet, capable of producing sounds up to 230 dB. This is louder than the noises of aircraft engines, which are approximately 150 dB.

Sperm whales, like other whales, communicate using sound. It is estimated that their calls can travel thousands of miles over the ocean. Sperm whales use their clicking sounds for echolocation, which allows them to identify their prey in deep, dark seas, including enormous squid.