Air flowing through the shell or cup has also been suggested as a possible cause, but experiments in soundproof rooms have disproved this. No sound comes from the shell, though there is plenty of air in the room. In fact, the answer is fairly simple, and can be summed up in two words: ambient noise.

在贝壳或杯子里流动的空气，也被认为是产生声音的可能因素之一，然而在隔音的房间里所做的实验已将这个可能推翻。虽然隔音房内有充足的空气，贝壳里却一片安静。事实上，问题的答案非常简单，简单到可以用两个字来概括：周围的杂音。

(短文节选,本篇始于：贝壳传来海洋之音)