Noise In The News: Weekly Round-Up

by Quiet Communities Staff

Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio

Hear the sounds of endangered rice whales

There are fewer than 100 Rice’s whales left in the world, and a recent New York Times article shares rare recordings of their endangered calls. Threatened by air guns and sonic blasts used to survey the ocean floor for oil and gas surveys, these whales are a reminder that man-made noise doesn't just affect us, it threatens our ecosystems as well. 

K-pop concert leaves fans with an earsplitting impression

A recent K-pop concert has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. According to 8days, a Singaporean entertainment news outlet, an enthusiastic fan’s screams have left other concertgoers with a lasting impression – and ear pain to boot. This isn’t a rare occurrence at concerts, where dB levels can reach the 100s, but, more notably, popular culture is finally taking note of noise issues, and the more conversations we have about earplugs and common courtesy, the quieter and healthier our world becomes.