Do you know what noise a hungry sea anemone makes? This is one of the 15,000 species that the soundscape ecologist Dr Bernie Krause has recorded. For half a century, Bernie has travelled the world recording the noise of nature. His collection is one of the oldest that exists and as a result it is a hugely valuable tool in documenting how we’ve changed our planet. For example, when Bernie returned to some sites, the environment has changed so dramatically that it had fallen silent.
Bernie Krause joins Ian Sample to discuss his work and shows him how sound can be a powerful tool for conservation.
A special thanks to Bernie Krause, as all the archive material you hear in the podcast is from his private collection, including tracks from his book, The Great Animal Orchestra.
Photograph: TIM CHAPMAN
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