And this snippet of video from soundscape scientist Davyd Betchkal

The article is very interesting, but I have a slight problem with the terminology used.  The decibel scale is useless unless the necessary reference level is also quoted.  I assume that in this case they mean dB(SPL) but even this comes with problems.  The reference level of dB(SPL) in air is 20 uPa, but in liquid is only 1 uPa. This article, although discussing both measurements in air and water, doesn’t mention this problem of reference level, which leaves the use of the dB levels in the report pointless.

I found the journal article that this article is taken from, and it says that the sound level measured was 78.9 SPL rms re 20uPa.  So thats that cleared up.  But they still say that blue whales can produce 188dB and I assume that this is re 1uPa.

Full marks for sensational journalism, poor marks for accuracy.  Oh dear.

It seems logical that the rise of electric and silent cars will reduce the ambient sound generated by traffic. This will mean that our ears will gradually adjust to the quieter sound of these vehicles (they are not completely silent after all). Our distant ancestors’ ears developed to give them the ability to sense potential predators and this sensitivity would be just as acute to the dangers of electric cars, if their sound were not masked by the sound of conventional vehicles.

Noise from combustion-engined vehicles is by far the largest creator of noise pollution that we face in our daily lives, and should be celebrated not replaced with an artificial alternative.

Here is a recording I made a while ago.  I came across a set of broken railings on the headland between Shoeburyness and Southend-on-Sea, and because of the very high wind, the small holes where the railings had fallen out were acting as flutes.

Recorded with the inbuilt mics on an Edirol R-44, with a wolly hat as an improvised windshield.

Mersea Island is situated in the Blackwater estuary, and is reached by a causeway. Standing on a flood defence, watching the tide gradually encroach further on the mud, I became aware of thousands of tiny clicks. On closer inspection it became obvious that these emanated from the popping of minuscule bubbles of air forced out of the mud by the water.

Only in a place as quiet as Mersea would it be possible to hear this phenomenon – the constant broadband noise present in many other locations would have completely masked it from audibility.

I hope to return to the island at some point to make a recording of this amazing effect.

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