Noise pollution is making us oblivious to the sound of nature, says researcher
by Ian Sample science editor, in San Jose from on (#37XS)
Gift of hearing birdsong and trickling water is being lost to a process of 'learned deafness', says US scientist, as people screen out background noise
The tranquil chorus of the natural world is in danger of being lost to today's generation as people screen out the noises that surround them, a senior US researcher warns.
Rising levels of background noise in some areas threaten to make people oblivious to the uplifting sounds of birdsong, trickling water, and trees rustling in the wind, which can often be heard even in urban centres, said Kurt Fristrup, a senior scientist at the US National Park Service.
Related: 'A great silence is spreading over the natural world'
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