screeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!

Why is the sound of fingernails down a blackboard so annoying to human ears? Whenever a classmate would get their grubby paws near the chalkboard, I’d be the first to duck&cover, begging for mercy.

Frequency? Pitch? Why?

Cecil Adams: Why is the sound of fingernails scraping a blackboard so annoying?

Oh. I suppose I could have looked for myself. Thank you, bibliophage.