Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution's Creativity, and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction

This is a lyrical exploration of the diverse sounds of our planet, their creative origins, and the perils they face.

Author David Haskell delves into the wonders of music and speech on Earth, from insect sounds in rainforests to frog calls in swamps. Haskell traces the origins of animal song and illuminates the emergence of varied sounds worldwide. From mammoth ivory flutes to modern concert halls and electronic music, human music and language are part of this ecological and evolutionary story. Yet, we are destroying many of the living Earth’s sounds. Sonic crises are not just sensory losses and sound is a generative force. Eroding sonic diversity makes the world less creative, just, and beautiful. Appreciating the beauty and brokenness of sound is crucial in today’s crises of change and inequity.

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