SCIENTISTS have recreated the terrifying sound of an Aztec death whistle.
The whistle, used by the Aztecs during human sacrifice rituals, was recreated using 3D printing technology.
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Researchers based the replica on a well-preserved model found in Mexico during the 1990s.
The whistle features a skull-shaped body that produces a terrifying sound when blown into.
Scientists played the 3D-printed instrument and recorded the sound, which is akin to a high-pitch shriek.
It is believed that the Aztecs blew the whistle before a sacrifice was killed to honor the God of wind, Ehecatl.
However, other theories state that the death whistle was used to drown out the screams of the victims.
Some experts theorize that it could also have been used to frighten away evil spirits.
The sound produced by the 3D-printed whistle can be heard in a video posted by the educational channel Action Lab.
“This has been deemed the most terrifying sound in the world,” presenter James J. Orgill said.
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“Believe it or not, this is not a human scream. The sound that the death whistle makes innately strikes fear into your heart.”
According to Orgill, the shape of the whistle is meant to mimic the shape of a human larynx.
Once a wearer blows into it, the air is split into two to generate sound waves that escape from a second hole.
Different whistles produce slightly different sounds depending on a variety of factors, such as size and mouth placement.
“For some reason, the effect of making it sound like a scream is stronger when you don’t actually watch the person blowing into the whistle,” Orgill said.
“[This is] probably because your brain knows it’s a whistle,” he added.
