The results: The hand configuration that produced the loudest clap—85.2 dB—consisted of holding the hands 45 degrees to each other with the palms partially overlapping.

Clapping hands spew out a jet of air, visualized here by baby powder. That jet helps explain the sweet sound of applause. Yicong Fu, Cornell University By Emily Conover March 4, 2025 at 8:00 am ...

But decibels aren’t everything when it comes to sound: the frequency distribution is vital too. So what works best there? Turns out there is one mode of clapping that produces particularly low tones.

The study showed that softer hands produce quicker-decaying sounds. Conversely, clapping more forcefully—or in a shape that stiffens the hands—generates a louder, longer-lasting clap.

The concept of an individual nature is, like one hand clapping, an illusion. On further reflection, this illuminated for me another ineffable mystery, one that I mentioned earlier: why I love my wife.