Noise In The News: Weekly Round-Up

by Quiet Communities Staff

Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio

Gary Numan shares that he’s nearly deaf after decades in music

If you grew up with his 1979 hit “Cars” on the radio, this one hits close to home. Musician Gary Numan recently revealed that decades of loud concerts and studio work have left him about 90% deaf, and he now relies on hearing aids. It’s a stark reminder that no one, even the artists we love, is immune to noise damage. Research from our friends at Hearing Health Foundation shows that professional musicians are almost four times more likely to develop noise‑induced hearing loss than the general public — a good reminder for all of us to treat our ears with a little more care.

Half of UK workers say office noise hurts their productivity

A new study from architectural acoustics firmOscar Acoustics shows just how costly a noisy workplace can be. UK employees lose 26 minutes of productive time every single day to office noise, adding up to roughly three extra weeks of work each year. Despite the toll, only 8% of companies have installed any acoustic treatment in the last two years, and 85% haven't even assessed their workplace sound environment. With 61% of workers choosing to stay home just to concentrate, these findings underscore what we've long known: noise costs more than your peace of mind.

A mysterious hum haunts residents of a Long Island town

Residents of Hauppauge and Commack on Long Island say a persistent humming noise, traced to the sprawling Hauppauge Business Park, has been disrupting their sleep and quality of life for months. More than 250 residents have signed a petition urging officials to enforce existing noise ordinances, and it’s a familiar pattern in communities across the country: the rules exist, but enforcement often lags far behind the lived reality.