The Underwater Impact of Human Noise

Throughout her talk on the ocean, Kate Stafford goes over the impact that human-made noise has had on the underwater species that live within the ocean.

She starts out by considering the different ways that the mammals within the ocean communicate, and their use of sonic waves, which enable them to flourish. Even in the arctic, animals are able to communicate with types of songs, and can break the ice around them to send messages. Although humans tend to understand the world through visuals, animals in the water use sound to get an understanding of what's around them so that they can survive.

After showing the importance sound plays for marine life, Stafford considers the damage climate change poses to it, as well as the changes that it brings for noises that mammals hear in their habitats. By bringing this to light, Stafford offers a new perspective on climate change with her talk on the ocean, as she shows that changes to these environments can affect the Earth on a much larger scale.