While there are lots of places on the earth that are too loud, the ocean isn’t one we normally think of. But a healthy coral reef is teeming with sound. “On the reef, you’ve got thousands of species of fish that are producing pops and chirps and croaks as they communicate with each other,” explains Steve Simpson, a professor at the University of Bristol.
However, in many parts of the world, the ocean is going silent. And that’s a problem because it means the coral reefs are dying. So scientists have created the Calling in Our Corals project, and you and your students can help.
Using AI to Listen
Marine biologists have dropped listening devices near coral reefs around the world and are recording the sounds there. But there are too many hours of audio for them to process. So they are asking for us to help by listening to short snippets, marking when we hear a sound. Then Artificial Intelligence in a tool called SurfPerch will analyze just those parts where sounds are heard.
How You Can Help the Coral Reefs
Visit the website and go through a very brief tutorial on the sounds that you can expect to hear. It could be shrimp popping, whales singing, or fish “talking.” Once you’re trained, you can then select the area of the world you want to listen to and start contributing to the research.
This is a great project for students of all ages. Listening closely is a skill that we all need to practice. And being able to say that you’ve helped an important research study offers huge benefits in terms of self satisfaction and confidence.
