Twenty Thousand Hertz

Sonic Bubbles: Escaping noise, but at what cost?

Sep 1, 2021
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ANECDOTE

Origin of White Noise Machine

  • Jim Buckwalter invented the first white noise machine to replicate the sound of a broken motel air conditioner to help sleep.
  • This invention called Sleepmate quickly became popular for masking distracting noises.
INSIGHT

Auditory Evolution and White Noise

  • Human auditory systems evolved to be alert even during sleep for survival on the savannah.
  • Our modern safe environments haven't changed this sensitivity, causing us to use white noise for comfort.
ANECDOTE

Pioneer of Nature Soundscapes

  • Irv Tiebel pioneered nature sound recordings as relaxation tools, creating the "Environments" album series.
  • He manipulated sounds digitally to enhance the ocean ambiance and claimed healing powers for these recordings.
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