Global network to eavesdrop on oceans quieted by Covid
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08/04/2021 - 17:25 Travel and economic downturns due to Covid-19 has seen falls in maritime traffic, sea floor exploration and other human interference, creating a unique moment to gather data on the oceans sonic landscape CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU AFP/File 3 min
Paris (AFP)
Scientists will take advantage of an unprecedented fall in shipping activity to listen in to the world s oceans and study how manmade noise affects marine ecosystems, the project organisers said Thursday.
Travel and economic downturns due to Covid-19 have seen falls in maritime traffic, sea floor exploration and other human interference, creating a unique moment to gather data on the oceans sonic landscape, they said.
The Covid-19 pandemic left the oceans quieter than ever in 2020, allowing scientists to analyze the effect human-generated sound has on marine life.
This map from the IQOE-endorsed JOMOPANS project shows the difference between the total noise level and the natural noise level with differences up to 30 decibels (dB). While 30 dB on its own is not loud, the superimposition raises the level significantly higher than natural noise. (Credit: JOMOPANS)
(CN) A unique new study has taken advantage of the momentary pause in human activity in the ocean during the Covid-19 pandemic, as scientists around the world listen for how human-generated noise in the water and a lack thereof affects marine life.
Year of the quiet ocean: Emerging ocean listening network will study seas uniquely quieted by COVID eurekalert.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eurekalert.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.