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July 29, 2006

The Singing Dunes, and Questions about Whether the Wind Sings

I read a report in the July 24 New York Times (''Secrets of the Singing Sand Dunes'') about how desert travelers since Marco Polo's time have heard the songs of the dunes. The article cites a report saying that ''collisions between sand grains cause the motions of the grains to become synchronized. The outer layer of the dune vibrates like the cone of a loudspeaker.''
Whatever the reason for the sound, it thrilled me to read that people do hear song notes in different deserts -- the article says the dunes at San Mountain in Novada sing a note of low C, while those of the Mar de Dunas in Chile sing an F and the sands of Ghord Lahmar in Morocco are a G sharp. I like to imagine the deserts making their own sounds.
I love the sounds of nature, and I have tapes of birds singing in wild forests, of ocean waves and whales singing their songs, as well as of rain showers in the Amazon forest. These sounds make me pause and pay attention to nature, something I tend to forget about living in a noisy urban environment. But every time I go into the park and walk slowly, I always feel better.
Do you think clouds have a song, or for that matter the sky sings? Does the wind or rain sing to you? Do the hot rays of the sun in summer emit a sound as they bathe your body? Is there a song in hot concrete? What are the songs you hear? Write to me and share your impressions.

Posted by billz at 08:40 AM | Comments (0)