. Earth Science News .
FROTH AND BUBBLE
Stay-at-home orders cut noise exposure almost in half
by Brooks Hays
Washington DC (UPI) Oct 09, 2020

Sometimes, living the quiet life is a choice. Other times, it's the reality of a global pandemic. New research suggests lockdowns and stay-at-home orders led to a dramatic reduction in noise exposure.

For the study, published Friday in the journal Environmental Research Letters, scientists at the University of Michigan collected noise exposure data from volunteer Apple Watch wearers in Florida, New York, California and Texas.

"Volunteer participants opted to share environmental sound data from their Apple Watch and headphone sound data from their iPhone," researchers wrote. "Participants for this analysis were chosen from four states which exhibited diverse responses to COVID-19."

Scientists analyzed more than half-a-million sound exposure measurements from before and during the pandemic.

In locations where governments issued social distancing recommendations and stay-at-home orders, average sound exposure dropped three decibels during March and April compared to January and February.

"That is a huge reduction in terms of exposure and it could have a great effect on people's overall health outcomes over time," study co-author Rick Neitzel said in a press release.

"The analysis demonstrates the utility of everyday use of digital devices in evaluating daily behaviors and exposures," said Neitzel, associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

The sound exposure reductions identified by researchers reflected the different pandemic responses in each of the four states. Sound exposure reductions in California and New York were greater and occurred earlier than reductions in Florida and Texas.

Before the pandemic, the largest drop in environmental sound exposure occurred on weekends, but after lock-down orders were issued in many parts of the country, the pattern was disrupted.

Researchers said they hope ongoing analysis of sound exposure data from volunteer Apple Watch wearers will continue to offer insights into the ways different people experience the world sonically.

The idea, they said, is to identify sound exposure differences between people of different ages and people in different states, as well as people with and without hearing loss.

"These are questions we've had for years and now we're starting to have data that will allow us to answer them," Neitzel said. "We're thankful to the participants who contributed unprecedented amounts of data. This is data that never existed or was even possible before."


Related Links
Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


FROTH AND BUBBLE
Russia probes pollution off Pacific coast after 'ecological disaster'
Moscow (AFP) Oct 7, 2020
Russian authorities Wednesday opened an investigation into suspected toxic waste pollution off the Kamchatka peninsula on its Pacific coast which has led to the mass death of marine animals. Locals sounded the alarm in late September as surfers experienced stinging eyes from the water and sea creatures including seals, octopuses and sea urchins washed up dead on the shore. The Russian branch of Greenpeace has described the situation as an "ecological disaster", adding that as yet it remains uncl ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Maryland Company Licenses NASA's New Search and Rescue Technology

Giant rice crane urges South Koreans to 'Cheer Up!'

'Ghost island' Phuket hunkers down in tourist-free Thailand

How Aerospace Corp supports the satellites helping wildfire responders save lives

FROTH AND BUBBLE
IBM reorganizes to focus on cloud computing

Mobile games thrive, even as pandemic keeps players home

Greece, Microsoft announce 1-bn-euro cloud investment

ArcelorMittal shuts Poland blast furnace on virus slump

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Underwater robots to autonomously dock mid-mission to recharge and transfer data

Tuna value dropping, industry must plan ahead: report

Scientists detect 'mass death' of sea life off Russia's Kamchatka

Suez warns 'hostile' Veolia bid could cost up to 10,000 jobs

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Arctic odyssey ends, bringing home tales of alarming ice loss

Antarctic Peninsula at warmest in decades: study

Discharges from western North America disrupted climate during last ice age

Antarctic sea ice may not cap carbon emissions as much as previously thought

FROTH AND BUBBLE
World Food Programme wins Nobel Peace Prize

Storms devastate rice paddies in Italy's 'golden triangle'

Unique vine 'greenhouses' found by 91-year-old nature volunteer

Groundwater depletion means 'peak grain' has come, gone for some High Plains states

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Locals flee as strengthening hurricane barrels toward southern US

Hurricane Delta lashes Mexico, heads towards US

Hurricane Delta bears down on Mexico's Caribbean coast

700,000 affected by South Sudan floods: UN

FROTH AND BUBBLE
3 Mali national guardsmen killed in overnight attack

U.S., Morocco renew military ties to 2030

DR Congo soldier shoots three dead at point-blank range

Sudan, rebel groups ink landmark peace deal

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Study finds preserved brain material in Vesuvius victim

Musical training boosts attention, working memory in children

Neuroscientists discover a molecular mechanism that allows memories to form

Past tropical forest changes drove megafauna and hominin extinctions









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.