Science for all 2023 event in Chioggia

On the occasion of the Science for all 2023 event in Chioggia, the teams of the three projects financed by JPI Oceans at the University of Padua—Deuteronoise, Diaphonia, and Orchestra—organized an experimential laboratory for children aged between 6 and 13 years old focusing on the sounds present in the sea and on the potential impact of man-made noise on marine animals.

The laboratory activity started by with having the children listen to and learn the sounds produced by whales, fish, molluscs, and crustaceans and boats.

Then, a game was played by having a couple of children at opposite sides of the room say their favorite colors, first against a silent background and then in the presence of noise produced by the other children speaking loudly, clapping hands, and stamping. This demonstrated the impossibility of communicating correctly with intense ambient noise.

Finally, using equipment purchased as part of the projects, a tank with an underwater speaker was set up to make the children understand how sound in water is not only perceived as sound, but also as particle motion, and how this can heavily impact animals. At the end of the activities, all the participants were invited to reflect on the impact of noise and the JPI Oceans projects were briefly discussed.

We aim to participate in the 2024 edition of Science for All to present the first results of the three projects.