# A Way To Destroy Cities With Sound

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-way-to-destroy-cities-with-sound/188530>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-way-to-destroy-cities-with-sound/188530 "2003-07-15T01:07:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Thoams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@Thoams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thoams)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-way-to-destroy-cities-with-sound/188530/1 "2003-07-15T01:07:24Z")

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I know that going at mach 1 (speed of sound) causes a large shockwave created from the sound waves “piling up”, and know that if a plane crosses the speed of sound near a city, windows would shatter all around. I was wondering if someone could maintain the speed of sound, provided they have a sturdy enough plane, and produce a large enough shockwave to take out buildings and cities and whatnot. I was also wondering how difficult (far away from reality) that actually is.

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**Author:** ![cdhostage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@cdhostage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdhostage)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-way-to-destroy-cities-with-sound/188530/2 "2003-07-15T01:28:07Z")

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This method would deafen all civilians in the area, permanently if done properly, as well as shattering glass windows and other fragile objects. There’s little actual damage done, and you’d have to fly quite close, quite fast.

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**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-way-to-destroy-cities-with-sound/188530/3 "2003-07-15T01:37:21Z")

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Why not just set off a large explosive device? All the fun, and significantly less work.

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**Author:** ![Thoams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@Thoams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thoams)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-way-to-destroy-cities-with-sound/188530/4 "2003-07-15T01:42:50Z")

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you see, i mean theoretically. I know it isn’t actually possible, but if it breaks glass in a HUGE radius, then a much stronger version could shake and ,eventually topple buildings (or so I assume). And it has to be done at high speeds, so retalitaion or preventative measures are difficult, and I believe it may cover a HUGE radius(probably not quite as big as some bombs, but i wouldn’t be as dirty and environment destroying)

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**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-way-to-destroy-cities-with-sound/188530/5 "2003-07-15T01:49:01Z")

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Well sure, I suppose it’s theoretically possible, but really, a high explosive device will do the same thing (destruction via shockwave) much more easily.