Attack of the vuvuzelas

From the captain obvious department: a study in the latest issue of South Africa’s Medical Journal claimed that vuvuzelas, the obnoxiously loud trumpet played at football matches in South Africa, can cause permanent hearing damage:

Participants in the stadium study were "exposed to high-intensity sound far exceeding the current legislated average exposure and peak exposure levels for occupational noise".

Tests on the 11 after the match showed a "significant" decrease in hearing sensitivity.

Worse, the study used stadiums that simulated the noise of only 30,000 people — many of the crowds expected at World Cup matches are expected to be three times that amount.

If you watched last year’s Confederations Cup, you’re well aware how annoyingly ubuquitous vuvuzelas are in South African stadiums. (And if you didn’t, you’ll understand if you watch even a single minute of any World Cup match this summer.) 

Thankfully, a South African company is taking advantage of the obvious entreprenurial opportunity and marketing foam earplugs.

H/T Andrew Harding.