News Paleontology

A choir of katydid ancestors filled the Jurassic rainforest with song

Fossils reveal an extinct soundscape made by the motion of insect wings

A black and brown insect sits on a twig among green leaves.

Grigs (Tarragoilus diuturnus shown) live today in China, Russia and Canada. They call by rhythmically rubbing their wings together. Researchers have reconstructed the sounds of grigs’ ancient relatives to re-create a Jurassic soundscape.

Jun-Jie Gu

By Carolyn Wilke

A symphony of insect songs rang through the Jurassic rainforest, and scientists have now found the traces of this ancient soundscape.