[originaltext] The world has become a noisier place, say experts at the Libr

The world has become a noisier place, say experts at the Library of Natural Sounds in Ithaca, New York. The library has the world’s largest collection of natural sound recordings---including the sound of birds, frogs, and mammals. The recordings are used for scientific study, field guides, and even some movie background sounds. Finding quiet areas for recording is becoming difficult, says Greg Budney, head of the library. Even in sparsely populated areas, animal sounds can be submerged by moving trucks, highway traffic, or aircraft. Obtaining a clean recording of an animal may take days or even years, and a habitat recording of all the species in an area is virtually impossible. Animals are having trouble heating each other in loud noises as well. A report from the British Ecological Society claims that, because of noise from nearby British roadways, some birds are having trouble attracting mates and staking out their territories.