#noise-deterrents

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Renovation
fromWIRED
5 hours ago

Gik Acoustics' SoundBlocks Are the Only Acoustic Panels I Like Looking At

Acoustic panels can enhance sound quality while also serving as stylish decor in modern spaces.
fromArchDaily
20 hours ago

Mapping the Technosphere: Architecture as an Interface Between Systems and Territories

Architecture can no longer be conceived as an isolated object, detached from the technical networks that sustain contemporary life. This condition calls for new readings and approaches.
Design
Wearables
fromWIRED
4 days ago

This Clever Bike Bell Can Even Be Heard by People Wearing Noise-Canceling Headphones

The Škoda DuoBell bicycle bell effectively bypasses noise-canceling headphones to enhance safety for cyclists in urban environments.
fromZDNET
1 week ago

How I calibrated my subwoofer placement for peak impact in awkward room setups

Placing your subwoofer in the front quadrant of a room allows the walls to guide low-pitched sounds effectively, enhancing overall audio quality. Avoiding corners is crucial, as this can lead to muddy and overpowering bass that detracts from the listening experience.
Remodel
Privacy technologies
fromFortune
1 week ago

Your neighbor just got a home security system, but should you be worried? 'It's inherently a little creepy' says surveillance expert | Fortune

Consumers are increasingly concerned about privacy and data control regarding home surveillance technology.
Environment
from99% Invisible
1 week ago

Service Request #4: How Does the Grid in Phoenix Work? - 99% Invisible

Phoenix's extreme summer heat underscores the critical importance of a reliable electrical grid for survival.
Berlin music
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

When Music Was Used to Deceive, Control, Survive

Yom HaShoah commemorates the 6 million Jews and 5 million others who perished in the Holocaust, reflecting on music's dual role in history.
#sustainability
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
2 weeks ago
Music production

Biodegradable Noise-Cancelling Mycelium Earplugs Are Solving A Decades-Long Plastics Problem - Yanko Design

GOB has created compostable earplugs from mycelium, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional foam earplugs.
fromNature
2 weeks ago
Environment

How buildings and cities can be aligned with life

Buildings currently harm the environment, but regenerative design can restore ecological systems and reduce waste through nature-inspired strategies.
Environment
fromNature
2 weeks ago

How buildings and cities can be aligned with life

Buildings currently harm the environment, but regenerative design can restore ecological systems and reduce waste through nature-inspired strategies.
Mission District
from99% Invisible
2 weeks ago

Service Request #3: Why Is There So Much Litter in San Francisco? - 99% Invisible

San Francisco's struggle with public trash can placement reveals deeper issues in urban waste management and human behavior.
London
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

I took off my headphones and noticed a stranger in peril

Wearing headphones isolates individuals from their surroundings, while being present enhances awareness and engagement with the world.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
2 weeks ago

The person who always has headphones in - even when nothing is playing - isn't ignoring you, they built a portable wall years ago because somewhere along the way they learned that being available to everyone meant being known by no one - Silicon Canals

Creating boundaries in a culture of constant availability is essential for personal well-being and deep thinking.
#duobell
Wearables
fromMail Online
4 days ago

Skoda's futuristic bike bell can bypass noise-cancelling headphones

Škoda has developed the DuoBell, a bike bell designed to be heard through noise-cancelling headphones, enhancing cyclist safety.
Wearables
fromFast Company
5 days ago

Noise-canceling headphones can't block out this genius bike bell

A new bike bell, DuoBell, is designed to alert headphone-wearing pedestrians to cyclists by emitting sounds that bypass noise-canceling technology.
Los Angeles
from99% Invisible
3 weeks ago

Service Request #2: Why Is This Red Light So Damn Long? - 99% Invisible

Los Angeles' traffic management relies on the Advanced Transportation System and Coordination, linking 5,000 signals to optimize commuter flow.
US news
fromMail Online
3 weeks ago

Mysterious 'hum' heard across several US states

A mysterious humming noise linked to data center construction is disrupting residents' lives across several US states.
fromDefector
3 weeks ago

Dam It All To Hell | Defector

Hoppers, like Pixar's pre-Disney films, is a delight. The beavers' world is immersive and richly realized, grounded in science but never dry. The plot zigs and zags between moments of absurdity and emotional heft to stirring effect; I cried multiple times, and not just because of the low-hanging fruit of grandma death.
Independent films
#light-pollution
fromwww.amny.com
3 weeks ago
New York City

NYS bill sparks birds or burglars' debate: Mandate to shut outdoor lights to help wildlife raises safety concerns

New York City
fromwww.amny.com
3 weeks ago

NYS bill sparks birds or burglars' debate: Mandate to shut outdoor lights to help wildlife raises safety concerns

New York State lawmakers proposed the Dark Skies Protection Act requiring property owners to shut off outdoor lights between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. to reduce light pollution and protect wildlife.
Environment
fromwww.cbc.ca
2 weeks ago

Why environmental advocates are speaking out against a planned development in northeast Pickering | CBC News

Environmental advocates oppose a planned development in northeast Pickering due to concerns about flood risk, water quality, and endangered species.
OMG science
fromFortune
4 weeks ago

The ocean was once 10 times quieter. A 1949 whale recording proves it | Fortune

Researchers discovered the oldest known humpback whale song recording from 1949, predating scientific documentation of whale song by nearly 20 years and providing insights into whale communication in a quieter ocean.
Medicine
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

How a vacuum cleaner turned the other way' became a popular solution to snoring disorders

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical condition causing breathing interruptions during sleep, often preceded by snoring, requiring diagnosis and treatment with devices like CPAP machines.
fromArchDaily
3 weeks ago

Spaces That Feel Back: How Buildings Respond to Human Behavior

Decades of research in environmental psychology and building science reveal that indoor conditions can profoundly affect human health and behavior. Lighting influences circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. Air quality impacts cognitive performance and respiratory health. Temperature and acoustics shape comfort and concentration.
Renovation
fromBusiness Matters
3 weeks ago

6 Business Use Cases For Perforated Metal

Perforated metal has long been valued for its strength, versatility, and clean visual appeal. Created by punching patterns of holes into metal sheets, it offers a practical balance between airflow, light control, and structural support. Across industries such as architecture, construction, mining, and interior design, perforated metal has become a go-to material for projects that require both function and style.
Design
Wearables
fromWIRED
2 weeks ago

The Best Earplugs We Tested with Dubstep, Punk Rock, and Snoring Spouses

Earplugs are essential for protecting hearing and enhancing experiences in both sleeping and loud environments.
Social media marketing
fromArs Technica
1 month ago

Explain it like I'm 5: Why is everyone on speakerphone in public?

Public speakerphone use on transit frustrates commuters, but confrontation is rare because most users appear oblivious rather than intentionally aggressive, and the underlying causes remain unclear despite speculation about pandemic effects and smartphone culture.
Renovation
fromArchDaily
3 weeks ago

"Echo of the ruins" Open-Air Museum of Sound and Memory / 1Y Architects

An open-air sound museum built from recycled factory ruins in Qingshuitan transforms a silent industrial area into a public space for listening and storytelling.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Accepting That Misophonia Means Doing Things Differently

Misophonia requires lifestyle adaptations that conflict with personal values, causing grief that can be addressed through cognitive behavioral therapy focused on acceptance and identity integration rather than symptom elimination.
Higher education
fromCornell Chronicle
1 month ago

World According to Sound offers immersive audio experience March 23 | Cornell Chronicle

The World According to Sound presents a blindfolded sonic experience exploring sound as a method of understanding and knowing across academic disciplines.
#home-security
New York City
fromPlanetizen
1 month ago

90% of NYC Intersections Lack Audible Crossing Signals for Blind Pedestrians

New York City and other urban areas lack standardized, well-maintained accessibility infrastructure for visually impaired residents, creating safety hazards despite some progress toward ADA compliance.
Miscellaneous
fromArchDaily
1 month ago

Mapping Space Without Sight: Inside SEAlab's Sensory Architecture

SEAlab designed a school for blind and visually impaired children by prioritizing spatial perception through observation, creating a simple geometric layout with a central courtyard as a navigational anchor.
from99% Invisible
1 month ago

Where the F*** Are We? - 99% Invisible

While sailors could easily determine their latitude by measuring the angle of the sun or the North Star, calculating their east-west position on a continuously spinning globe remained one of the era's most stubborn scientific hurdles. Without it, navigators were forced to rely on dangerous guesswork like dead reckoning, leaving them vulnerable to getting lost, running aground, or being ambushed by pirates along predictable routes.
History
fromFast Company
1 month ago

These sounds could soothe your restless brain

I'm very sensitive to sound, so the smallest noises can be distracting. Silence is sometimes loud for me. After the diagnosis, Sussman's parents switched him to a school that specialized in helping students with learning differences. His mom also started playing brown noise to help him relax or fall asleep, after she read that low-frequency (lo-fi), deep rumbling sounds-like heavy machinery or strong rainfall-can soothe those with ADHD.
Music production
fromArchDaily
1 month ago

On World Hearing Day 2026: From Communities to Classrooms, Designing for Inclusion

The design of classrooms, childcare facilities, community centers, and public spaces directly shapes how sound is perceived, how communication unfolds, and how inclusion is experienced. Acoustics, spatial configuration, lighting strategies, and material choices can either reinforce barriers to participation or foster environments that support diverse auditory experiences.
Education
fromdesignboom | architecture & design magazine
1 month ago

glass loudspeaker draws from uk grime music scene and brutalist architecture

The Eski.Sub draws inspiration from the visual language of Brutalist architecture and the cultural atmosphere of UK grime music scene. The project examines the relationship between design, urban context, and emotional listening experiences, positioning the loudspeaker as both an audio device and a spatial object.
Design
UX design
fromArchDaily
1 month ago

Smart Booking Systems as a Tool for Acoustic Space Efficiency

Balance flexible, short-term use and personalization with efficient scheduling to make acoustic pods productive, well-utilized, and user-centered.
fromSlate Magazine
1 month ago

Help! I Can Hear Every Explosive Fight Between My Neighbors. What They're Yelling About Makes It Even Worse.

But what you have the right to do is not always the action that will lead to the most happiness for you. In fact, if you insist upon escalating before exploring a gentler approach, you will often make things worse. So your wife isn't entirely full of it. Tense relationships with neighbors really do make a lot of people miserable, and it makes sense that she'd want to avoid pissing off people who live within shouting distance and are apparently pretty combative.
Relationships
fromTheregister
1 month ago

Harvard boffins crack the mystery of squeaky sneakers

The results showed that the squeaking sound is produced by wave-like patterns across the rubber surface, contacting and then releasing from the glass, allowing the sliding between the surfaces. The waves move across the interface between the two materials at a speed of nearly 300 kilometers per hour.
Science
World news
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Drives me crazy: Mumbai residents plead for respite from musical road'

A 500-metre musical stretch on Mumbai's Coastal Road plays Jai Ho at target speeds, disturbing nearby residents and prompting formal noise complaints.
#noise-pollution
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago
Public health

The pollutant you can't see: why constant background noise is becoming a medical issue - Silicon Canals

fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago
Public health

The pollutant you can't see: why constant background noise is becoming a medical issue - Silicon Canals

Data science
fromNature
2 months ago

Science finds its song

Scientists are translating research data into music, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, revealing patterns, and increasing accessibility through data-driven music events.
fromeLearning Industry
1 month ago

How To Remove Background Noise From Video: Best Practices For Professional Content

When professionals talk about how to remove background noise from video, they are really talking about improving the audio track of a video so the speaker's voice is clearer, more consistent, and easier to understand. Background noise refers to any unwanted sound that competes with the main voice, like air conditioning hum, office chatter, keyboard typing, traffic, or the low hiss created by recording equipment and compression. In video production, background noise removal is about reducing distractions so the listener can focus on the message.
Film
Podcast
from99% Invisible
2 months ago

Audio Flux - 99% Invisible

Audio Flux revives short-form experimental audio by providing biannual themed challenges that produce bold, three-minute stories and renewed visibility for the format.
Wellness
fromEsquire
1 month ago

5 White Noise Machines That Will Make You Sleep Better

Noise colors differ by frequency emphasis: white is flat; pink emphasizes lows; brown deeper lows; blue/violet emphasize highs; green mid-range; gray matches perceived loudness.
Remodel
fromLos Angeles Times
41 years ago

Acoustic Tile Makes Bulletin Board That Won't Hurt Wall

Acoustic ceiling tiles provide an attractive, damage-minimizing alternative to cork for creating large bulletin boards on walls.
fromHarvard Gazette
1 month ago

'The sound stopped suddenly' - Harvard Gazette

The sound stopped suddenly. I wanted to use my right foot to hit the drum twice, but I ended with the first try. At that instant, my brain really drew a blank. I thought, 'What's going on?' This was Yamaguchi's recollection of the first symptoms of musician's dystonia that appeared during a concert in 2009, marking the beginning of his five-year journey to diagnosis.
Music
US politics
fromMail Online
2 months ago

Battlefield 'voice of God' sonic weapon used on Minneapolis protesters

A long-range acoustic device (LRAD) was threatened for use during a Minnesota anti-ICE protest, raising serious hearing and health risk concerns.
Parenting
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Stress Relief Through Sound

Music therapy reduces anxiety and stress in new parents while improving emotional coping and positive experiences during perinatal care.
fromAeon
2 months ago

In solarpunk cities of the future, tech follows nature's lead | Aeon Essays

In Indra's Net of pearls and jewels, every gem reflects every other, a shimmering image of interdependence. This ancient Vedic metaphor for connection across the cosmos also illuminates what the environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht first proposed in 2014as 'theSymbiocene': the era after the Anthropocene, in which human technologies take their cues from living systems and work in partnership rather than through dominance.
Philosophy
Science
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
2 months ago

Sonic booms can protect Earth from dangerous space junk

Sonic booms detected by global seismometer networks can reconstruct uncontrolled spacecraft reentry paths and locate crash sites, offering a low-cost monitoring tool day or night.
Gadgets
fromTheregister
2 months ago

An old parking meter and a Pi make beautiful music together

A decommissioned parking meter was converted into a Raspberry Pi Zero 2–based RFID-controlled jukebox with Spotify playback, OLED now-playing display, and open-source libraries.
Miscellaneous
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Does the temperature affect the sound of snow underfoot?

Snow underfoot produces different sounds that correlate with temperature: squelch near 0°C, crunch above −10°C, and high-pitched squeaks well below −10°C.
Remodel
fromokmagazine.com
2 months ago

Why the Prodec Acoustic Booth Is Becoming Increasingly Popular in Commercial Office Spaces

Acoustic booths provide private, soundproof workspaces that reduce noise, improve focus, support confidential conversations, and enhance employee well-being and productivity in modern offices.
Podcast
from99% Invisible
2 months ago

Audio Flux - 99% Invisible

Audio Flux revives short-form experimental audio by hosting twice-yearly themed challenges that showcase three-minute stories and broaden podcast storytelling possibilities.
Music
fromKALTBLUT Magazine
2 months ago

Choosing the Artificial Over the Real in Dash Hammerstein's "Noise Machine" - KALTBLUT Magazine

Dash Hammerstein blends Americana songwriting and filmmaking to create intimate, melody-driven songs and film scores that mix folk-pop sensibility with subtle production flourishes.
Science
fromTheregister
1 month ago

Sound cues steered dreams and improved puzzle-solving

Timed sound cues during sleep (targeted memory reactivation) can prompt dream content and double next-morning puzzle-solving rates for some participants.
Renovation
fromBGR
2 months ago

Goodbye Loud Home Office - This Sleek (And Cheap) DIY Solution Changes Everything - BGR

Seal doors and windows, add floor padding, and place furniture or bookshelves to absorb sound and reduce noise and echoes in a home office.
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Feeling chirpy: how listening to birdsong can boost your wellbeing

Previous research has shown that people feel better in bird-rich environments, but Christoph Randler, from the University of Tubingen, and colleagues wanted to see if that warm fuzzy feeling translated into measurable physiological changes. They rigged up a park with loudspeakers playing the songs of rare birds and measured the blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels (a marker of stress) of volunteers before and after taking a 30-minute walk through the park.
Mental health
Gadgets
fromZDNET
2 months ago

3 easy ways to upgrade your headphones today - for free

Update headphone firmware and adjust EQ before replacing otherwise functional headphones to improve sound, connectivity, noise cancellation, and microphone performance.
Remodel
fromTVovermind
2 months ago

DIY-Lover Uses Stinky Egg Cartons To Soundproof GF's Home Office, Livid As She Absolutely Hates It

Watching online DIY tutorials does not guarantee safe or effective results and can lead to dangerous, smelly, and destructive amateur attempts like egg-carton soundproofing.
Miscellaneous
fromArchDaily
1 month ago

7 Unbuilt Masterplans Reimagining Urban Futures Through Ecology and Collective Space

Unbuilt urban masterplans explore adaptive spatial frameworks that recalibrate mobility, ecology, and collective life through climate-responsive design and public space integration across diverse global contexts.
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
2 months ago

This Desk Hood Blocks Office Noise Without Walling You In - Yanko Design

The rhythm of open offices is great until you need to concentrate or take a video call. The energy becomes noise, conversations drift across the floor, and people end up camping in meeting rooms or wearing noise-cancelling headphones all day. The ad hoc solutions never quite work, and what is missing is a middle ground, something more substantial than a desk but less isolating than a full pod.
Design
Gadgets
fromFuturism
1 month ago

Every Single Headphone That Researchers Tested Contained Horrifying Chemicals

Many consumer headphones contain hazardous chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and flame retardants that can migrate to skin and pose long-term health risks.
fromIrish Independent
1 month ago

Hoxton noise case against Yamamori Izakaya nighclub paused as hotel issues new statement

Last week, the hotel's leaseholder, Trinity Hospitality, sought a court injunction "to reduce excessive noise transfer from Yamamori Izakaya into the hotel". It sparked a protest outside the hotel on Monday by protesters concerned about a drop in the number of late-night venues. The Hoxton Hotel, which neighbours Yamamori Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant that holds music events, claims it has been forced to close around a quarter of its rooms because of "numerous guest complaints about late-night, low-frequency music noise and vibration".
Miscellaneous
Remodel
fromBored Panda
2 months ago

DIY-Lover Uses Stinky Egg Cartons To Soundproof GF's Home Office, Livid As She Absolutely Hates It

An unemployed boyfriend attempted to soundproof a home office using superglue and reeking egg cartons, causing a stench and a relationship conflict.
fromArchitectural Digest
2 months ago

Designing When Your City Is Under Siege

Life doesn't pause for grief or fear. You might be going through something devastating but you're still packing lunches, still driving your kids to baseball practice, still showing up to work. One minute I find myself prepping for a whole home presentation and the next minute I'm checking the news, hoping and praying that no one has been killed on the streets today.
Design
Environment
fromMail Online
2 months ago

'House burping' trend really works, scientists say

Human emissions of greenhouse gases—especially CO2—have sharply increased atmospheric concentrations, driving global warming and producing harmful pollutants like NO2, SO2, CO, and particulate matter.
Design
fromArchDaily
2 months ago

Active Envelopes: Integrating Solar Energy into Architectural Design

Integrate photovoltaics into facades from project outset to unify materiality, energy performance, and architectural expression.
Remodel
fromThe Drum
2 months ago

Today's Office: Oliver Bruce on his sound-proof, distraction-proof podcast studio

A soundproofed, foam-lined podcast studio converted into an office improves focus and creativity compared with an open-plan glass office.
fromArchDaily
2 months ago

Health, Habitat, and Civic Infrastructure: Designing the City as a National Park

Cities around the world share a common goal: to become healthier and greener, supported by civic infrastructure that restores ecosystems and strengthens public life. The question is how to reach this. Global climate targets, local building codes, and municipal standards increasingly guide designers and planners toward better choices. Still, many cities struggle to translate these frameworks into everyday, street-level comfort and long-term ecological protection.
Environment
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