Seas quieted by pandemic could reduce stress, improve health in whales

[FfFfFfFF 58,068]

From California to Alaska to the swampy bays of south Florida, disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic are offering marine scientists a once-in-a-lifetime shot at directly tackling a question many have pondered for decades: How much does our noisy life at sea really alter the world for marine creatures?

It’s no secret that human noise can spell trouble for an array of ocean life. Navy sonar has been shown to cause embolisms in beaked whales as they rapidly ascend to flee the pulses, while the low hum of container ships so thoroughly drowns out whale calls that the cacophony pushes some animals into silence.

Scientists in recent years have learned that the impact of ocean noise isn’t limited to cetaceans. Auditory stress can affect seals, fish, squid—even simple creatures like oysters. “Almost all life underwater relies on sound,” says Michelle Fournet, an acoustic ecologist at Cornell University.

Friedlaender expects his findings will be similar to what scientists learned after September 11. 

During the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, two separate groups of scientists happened to be at sea in Canada’s Bay of Fundy—one to take audio recordings of whales, the other collecting fecal samples. They stayed at sea even after ship and air traffic ground to a halt. The researchers were able to show a significant drop in hormone levels in whale feces immediately as the waters went ghostly silent.

Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/07/seas-silenced-by-pandemic-could-improve-health-whales/

[Chromatislaps 34,854]

The world is a better place without humans... that is quite clear

[alsemanche 97,796]

Glad someone is less stressed in this situation 

[IllusionLover 7,549]

We're the real virus

[PoetsTryinWrite 1,262]

That’s great. For the past ten years I’ve been listening to whales complaining to get to sleep. Now I can listen to them calmly gossiping. 

[ItWasntLaauv 6,392]

YAY 

[SpiritBunny 3,685]

23 minutes ago, IllusionLover said:

We're the real virus

Not true, we humans brought Gaga to the Earth. 

[Dramatica 13,698]

1 hour ago, FfFfFfFF said:

...two separate groups of scientists happened to be at sea...—one to take audio recordings of whales, the other collecting fecal samples. 

Scheiße be mine 

[papergangster 2,823]

When will humans learn to respect Mother Nature? If we do her dirty, she will clap back!

[FfFfFfFF 58,068]

1 minute ago, Dramatica said:

Scheiße be mine 

Never forget:

 

[Doot 2]

The world finally catching on to how crappy we are to the very planet we live on.