

What would happen in the ocean if we went quiet? - pepys
http://aeon.co/magazine/science/what-would-happen-in-the-ocean-if-we-went-quiet/

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beloch
Military sonar is probably the biggest offender. Obviously, it's going to be
pretty hard to get the USN to abandon sonar altogether. However, perhaps there
are ways they could modify operating procedures to reduce the impact on marine
life. Whales surely show up on sonar, so it would make sense to reduce ping
volume when they are near whales in non-combat situations. Focusing on more
sensitive microphone technology might allow the Navy to use weaker pings
without compromising range. Passive listening techniques, such as those used
by submarines, could probably be used to a greater extent on the surface too.
Quieter propellers, outboard pickups (probably already in use), or simply
stopping when using sonar might also permit the use of lower volume pings. All
that is really needed is for the Navy to make lower noise one of their design
priorities.

Likewise, commercial traffic probably considers fuel efficiency to be top
priority when designing propellers, etc.. Quieter propellers are probably less
energy efficient, so regulations would likely be required to encourage
commercial ships to reduce their noise emissions.

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clamprecht
I could be wrong here, but I think quieter propellers may be _more_ energy
efficient. Since noise is just energy, it's wasted on noise rather than
propulsion. Case in point: Formula 1 engines this year are turbo, and are much
quieter. Many fans complain because they are too quiet! But they are more
efficient.

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jeffpalmer
This article piqued my interest so I googled for recordings of underwater
sounds. Here is a gallery of underwater audio clips from various mammals,
invertebrates and more:
[http://www.dosits.org/audio/agsummary/](http://www.dosits.org/audio/agsummary/)

The lightning really does sound like a phaser!

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dreamweapon
Isn't gonna happen, if the USN keeps up with its ways:

[http://www.wired.com/2014/07/war-of-the-
whales](http://www.wired.com/2014/07/war-of-the-whales)

