Bioacoustics is a scientific discipline established by Ivan Regen, a Slovene biologist who started a systematic study of insect sounds. It is a cross-disciplinary science that integrates the fields of biology and acoustics involving neurophysiological and anatomical basis of sound production and detection and the relation of acoustic signals to the medium they disperse through. Bioacoustics, moreover, refers to the investigation of sound production, dispersion through elastic media, and reception in animals including humans.
Scientists working in the field of bioacoustics focus their study in the anatomy and neurophysiology of organs involved in sound production and detection. They study the organs' shapes, muscle action, and the activity of neuronal networks involved. Complex methods are used to properly understand acoustics in animals and humans. One of which is through the observation of well defined signals in a controlled environment to gain insight into signal function, sensitivity of the hearing apparatus, nose filtering capability, and other relevant factors.