Is it stupid to ask why we hear waves when we put shells to our ears?

'Cause I've always been curious about that one! And nobody is answering my question?

Is it stupid to ask why we hear waves when we put shells to our ears?
Nah! It is never stupid to ask questions to increase one's knowledge! In fact it is stupid not to! Around you is this constant barrage of noise that you tend to ignore. When you put something near your ear, it strengthens a certain group of frequencies. You're just enhancing environmental noise with that shell. The dimensions of the shell, determines which sound waves will be amplified and which will be squelched! That is the sounds you hear when we put shells to our ears!!!



Edit: It is not the sound of rushing blood in your ears, amplified by the shell as mentioned by so many above!!!
Reply:Its not the ocean its the blood in your head. You can hear it when you just cup your hand around your ear too. I think that was just a story to tell kids.
Reply:It's a sound of your flowing blood thru your ear.



The more stupid question is... why do you ask this kind of question in Etiquette section?
Reply:You are actually hearing the sound of rushing blood in your ears, amplified by the shell
Reply:The shell amplifies the sound of the blood in your ear and head.
Reply:I think it`s wonderful. I was brought up by the sea and i believed the tale. I taught my children and grandchildren the same thing. It is nice to have ideas like that. We know the real explanation but can keep our own thoughts.. Nice memory.. Thanks questioner.
Reply:no its not, the sound is not the ocean its the blood that is in your head, you can hear it because of the enclosed air and the particular shape of the shell..
Reply:YES it is the ocean! You can occasionally hear bubbles...
Reply:it's not stupid to ask it. it's just stupid to say it.
Reply:your ears are the terminus of the carotid arteries that flush your brain with blood. as others have said, the sound you hear in the seashell is actually an amplification of your own heart pumping blood to your brain.



Some people in later years, develop pain in their ears, part of which may be a symptom of arterial blockage in the carotids, or some other obstruction, eventually leading to a stroke