Birds do it, especially in spring, bees do it, more or less incessantly, whales do it, sometimes over vast distances, and humans do it, too, some more melodiously than others.
In fact, read this book and you'll come away with the impression that there isn't much - animate or otherwise - that doesn't do it. Make noise, that is. Or sound, if you prefer - Caspar Henderson uses the two terms interchangeably.
His exploration of the world of sound/noise is a catalogue of curiosities that ranges across the sounds of space, of the northern lights, volcanoes and thunder, birdsong, insects, plants (yes, roots make noises as they push through the soil, though you'll need some technology to hear them), musical instruments, song, bells and much more.
Rather than following a beginning-to-end approach, A Book of Noises is very much a collection for dipping into, starting wherever takes your fancy. Many of the sounds will be familiar: the aforementioned birds, bees, whales and humans, for example. Many others are beyond the realm of direct human experience, such as the sounds of deep space.
Actually, space is one of the least promising places to go hunting for sounds. Once you get beyond 100km or so above Earth, there is a vast zone with almost no sound at all, "Except, perhaps," observes Henderson, "for the occasional billionaire shouting 'Whee!"
But there is sound on stars and planets, including on the sun, which seems to be not just an uncomfortably hot place but an unpleasantly noisy one as well.
Denne historien er fra February 03-09, 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra February 03-09, 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.