This tiny fish might look harmless, but it packs a massive sonic punch. Danionella cerebrum, about the size of a fingernail, can produce sounds louder than an elephant—despite being smaller than a paperclip.

Scientists were absolutely stunned when they recorded the fish generating sound pressure levels up to 140 decibels. That is louder than a rock concert or an active jet engine—coming from a creature barely visible without zooming in.

It turns out, nature’s volume control doesn’t depend on size. Researchers discovered that the males generate the sound using a unique mechanism: a small rib, which is attached to a specialized swim bladder muscle. When this muscle contracts, it pulls the rib, causing it to strike the fish’s swim bladder, generating an extremely powerful sound pulse.

This finding is a profound reminder that in nature, sometimes the smallest things make the biggest noise.