What noises rank highly on a decibel chart?

A jackhammer at close distance, a jet engine airliner taking off, a loud rock concert and a 12-gauge shotgun blast are all noises that rank very highly on a decibel chart. A jackhammer from 50 feet away is about 95 decibels, whereas a shotgun blast is 165 decibels.

The loudest sound possible within the Earth's atmosphere would measure approximately 194 decibels, but hearing tissue death begins for human beings at 180 decibels. Even short-term exposure to sounds exceeding 140 decibels can cause permanent hearing damage in humans, and pain usually begins at approximately 125 decibels. For comparison, a normal conversation between two people only reaches approximately 60 to 65 decibels.