Forecasting Cuts Spark Worries About Hurricane Season | Soothing Babies With Music

Apr 3, 2025

Emily Jones is a climate reporter for Grist and WABE, based in Savannah, Georgia. She discusses alarming funding cuts at NOAA and their potential impact on hurricane forecasting accuracy, raising concerns for coastal communities. Experts worry that fewer resources could lead to less reliable forecasts as the hurricane season approaches. Additionally, a board-certified music therapist shares insights on how music aids infant development, including preferences for certain types and the best ways to incorporate music into a baby's routine.

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INSIGHT

Interconnected Forecasting

NOAA's data comes from various sources like NASA, the Department of Defense, and even the FAA.
Cuts to other agencies can thus indirectly impact NOAA's forecasting accuracy, creating a ripple effect.

ADVICE

Read Baby's Cues

Observe your baby's cues like excessive yawning to gauge their actual enjoyment of music.
Don't assume they love music just because it's playing; look for active engagement.

ADVICE

Ideal Music Duration

Limit music sessions to 30-45 minutes for babies.
After that, they become overstimulated, and the music loses its learning value, turning into mere background noise.

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Emergency response experts say that funding and staff cuts at the National Weather Service could mean less reliable weather forecast. And, babies like music, but they generally have preferences. A music therapist reveals the best kinds of music to soothe a baby.

Forecasting Cuts Leave Some Worried For Hurricane Season

Many in Georgia are still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene last fall.

Now, firings and funding cuts at the National Weather Service and other agencies have some experts worried about accurate forecasts heading into the next hurricane season, which begins June 1.

Hundreds of workers have been fired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, including meteorologists at the Weather Service. More cuts by the Trump administration are reportedly on the way.

“The forecast is not going to be as accurate because it won’t have as much information in it,” said Chuck Watson of ENKI research in Savannah, who studies disaster preparedness and response.

Read the whole story at sciencefriday.com.

Tips For Soothing Your Baby With Music, From A Music Therapist

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably heard that playing music is good for your baby’s brain development. But that’s where many people’s knowledge about the subject ends. What about music is good for a baby’s development? Will queuing up a lullaby playlist get the job done? And how can you tell if it’s all just too much for them?

Sarah Nolan, a board-certified music therapist and neonatal intensive care unit music therapist in Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ Mark Taper and Johnny Mercer Artists Program recently published recommendations on the best ways to play music around your baby.

Host Ira Flatow talks to Nolan about the ideal length of time to play music, what kinds of music are best, and the benefits of music therapy to babies and adults alike.

Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

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