Forum From the Archives: David George Haskell on Preserving The Earth’s Sonic Diversity

KQED's Forum

KQED

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 23 November 2022

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From the roar of wind against mountains and the slam of waves on the shore to early morning birdsong, the sounds that fill our natural world are not only beautiful, they’re at risk, writes biologist David George Haskell in his new book, “Sounds Wild and Broken.” Haskell describes a global sonic landscape that’s threatened by human-induced habitat destruction and noise pollution and warns that by smothering the earth’s many voices, we’re not only imperiling species but losing our connection to the natural world. But by paying attention to sounds both natural and human-created, we can understand what’s at stake — and mobilize to protect it. Haskell joins to share more about our world’s sonic diversity and guide us in listening to it. Guests: David George Haskell, author, “Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution’s Creativity and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction”; William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies, The University of the South Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Support for Forum comes from Rancho La Puerta, boated the number one wellness resort and spa by readers of travel and leisure magazine in 2024.
0:09.7	In August, three or four people sharing a cassita enjoy special vacation packages that include hiking, mindfulness, and fitness classes, in a garden setting on 4,000 verdant acres of nature preserve.
0:22.4	Check in to summer at Rancho LaPorta.
0:25.1	Rancho LaPorta.com.
0:26.8	Switch to Comcast Business Mobile and save hundreds a year in your wireless bill.
0:30.9	Comcast Business, powering possibilities.
0:33.4	Restrictions apply.
0:34.2	Comcast business internet required.
0:35.5	Comparse two unlimited intro lines and lowest price 5D plans of top three carriers.
0:38.4	Tax on fees extra, reduce speeds after 30 gigabytes of usage.
0:40.8	Data thresholds may vary.
0:43.1	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Mina Kim. Coming up on forum, we listen back to my conversation
1:05.6	with biologist David George Haskell, who says, quote, every vocal species has a distinctive sound.
1:11.5	Every place on the globe has an acoustic character made from the unique confluence of this multitude
1:16.8	of voices.
1:17.8	We'll talk to Haskell about his book Sounds Wild and Broken, where he marvels at the power
1:22.2	and diversity of our sonic landscape and warns that this diversity is at risk.
1:27.4	How to really listen to Earth's many
1:29.0	voices from the sounds of waves to birdsong and what gets lost when we smother or destroy them.
1:34.4	That's next on Forum.
1:53.0	This is Forum. I'm Mina Kim. Sounds. So many sounds fill our world. Never in the history of earth have sounds been so rich and varied, writes biologist David George Haskell.
2:10.2	Never has this diversity been so threatened. We live amid riches and despoliation.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KQED, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of KQED and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.