Noise Pollution - Noise And Our Hearing, Who Is Affected?, The Federal Government And Noise, Protection From Noise
modern
As late as the 1950s, most of the sounds on this planet were probably still of natural origin rather than derived from technological sources. Today, however, the opposite appears to be true.
Cars, trucks, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chain saws, power drills, television, radio, video games, computers... the list of noise makers in our modern life is almost endless, and our world keeps getting noisier. Noise—which can be defined as unwanted sound waves that were not present in the pre-modern electromagnetic spectrum—is one of the most common forms of pollution, one that can easily damage the hearing and general health of people and animals.
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The inner ear of humans (and other vertebrates) contains a snail-shaped structure called a cochlea that is lined with thousands of microscopic hairs. When sound vibrations enter the cochlea, they cause the tiny hairs to move back and forth. If strong vibrations blast into the cochlea, the hairs can be flattened and damaged. The damage usually results in some degree of hearing loss. Sound is measur…
As many as 10 million Americans today have lost part of their hearing because of our noisy lives. People who work at airports seem especially at risk: One study suggests that more than half the people working near runways suffer some hearing loss. Noise pollution tends to be just as much a problem in other countries as in the United States. For example, one scientist studied people who worked in a…
Because noise pollution causes so many problems, the United States government has passed laws to regulate noise. In 1987, for example, Congress passed the National Overflights Act. This law called for studies to determine the effect of air traffic over national parks. It also prohibited low-flying planes from flying over certain parts of Grand Canyon National Park. Since 1972, when the Noise Contr…
Individuals can take many simple steps to protect themselves from the harmful effects of noise pollution. If people must be around loud sounds, they can protect their ears with ear plugs or ear protectors. They can muffle sound by using acoustic ceiling tiles, draperies, carpets, and sound-absorbing furniture in their homes, offices, and schools. They can also buy quieter models of machines and le…
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