MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS

May 2022 Newsletter: Ocean Noise Pollution

It’s May, and beach season is almost here! To humans, swimming in the ocean is a well-deserved vacation, but to marine animals, the ocean is home. Most people know that trash and chemical pollutants can harm ocean wildlife, but did you know that noise pollution is also a problem in the ocean? Read on to learn how animals are affected by ocean noise pollution.

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April 2022 Newsletter: Pickleball

Sports are an important part of American culture, at both professional and amateur levels of play, but they can present acoustic issues. Residents who live near courts and fields are often disturbed by the sounds of basketballs pounding on the pavement, whistles on the football field, or the crack of a base hit. A new sport, pickleball, is dominating the sports scene in many places across the country, with a two-year growth rate of almost 40% and up to 4.2 million players in 2021. Despite its popularity, it tends to generate many noise complaints from nearby residents. Read on to learn more about this banging sport and what can be done.

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March 2022 Newsletter: A Noise Annoys

In the US, local and state noise ordinances have been protecting citizens against sound and vibration disturbances for over 70 years. An ideal noise ordinance would be easy to understand and easy to enforce, but due to the technical jargon contained in these documents and the equipment needed to accurately measure sound levels, this is often not the case. Read on to learn more about the ins and outs of our favorite group of laws.

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February 2022 Newsletter: BOOM!

Supersonic air travel has interested everyone from commercial tourists to the military.  Who wouldn’t want to travel from New York to London in 3 hours instead of 6?  One of the biggest hurdles that supersonic flight incurs is the sonic

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November 2021 Newsletter: Compos(t)ing Music

Music is remarkable in the emotional and sometimes personal responses it elicits, especially if one considers its simple foundations: manipulations of tone, pitch, rhythm, and dynamics. While we typically equate music with human compositions made with traditional instruments, music can

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October 2021 Newsletter: Wahhhhhhhhts the Matter?

Through the work of Darwin and subsequent related studies, evidence supports that the emotional state of humans can be recognized through the characteristics of their vocalizations. While adults may have more control over how they react, babies tend to show their

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August 2021 Newsletter: Science or Snake Oil?

The audiophile world is replete with dubious products that claim to provide ultra-high fidelity sound with eye-popping price tags accompanying them. But what has research shown? Has anyone been able to apply scientific principles to find methods within this madness?

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