Listening at Two Very Different Scales

April 23, 2024 10:20 PM

Large-scale listening: To ensure that DSS-43 can still place the longest of long-distance calls, the antenna underwent a round of updates in 2020. A new X-band cone was installed. DSS-43 transmits radio signals in the X (8 to 12 gigahertz) and S (2 to 4 GHz) bands; it can receive signals in the X, S, L (1 to 2 GHz), and K (12 to 40 GHz) bands. The dish’s pointing accuracy also was tested and recertified. 1200 words from Willie D. Jones for IEEE Spectrum. Small-scale listening: The sounds being produced are within the lower range of human hearing, so it’s possible there are sounds in the soil we haven’t heard yet. Early research from Switzerland shows soils were producing the most complex sounds in spring and summer, which declined in autumn and winter. Phoebe Weston writes 1000 words for The Guardian.
posted by cgc373 (2 comments total)

This is so interesting.
posted by elmono at 7:02 AM on April 24

Amazing! I love stuff like this. Over the past few years I have made a conscious effort to be present and inquisitive in nature. I have a couple small plots of prairie plants in my front yard (take that SOD!) and everyday I take a close look. I let the plots overwinter without pruning, cleaning, etc,. as I had learned so many species use dead stalks and stems for larvae or shelter. As I was looking at my milkweed that had finally had shoots, I noticed a small black and yellow bee. Smaller than a bumblebee and bigger that the tiny darting guys. He was walking around the plot. I followed him around and *boop* down he goes into a tiny hole. I really hadn't expected that and was delighted to think about what was going on underground!

Thanks for the post!
posted by zerobyproxy at 12:35 PM on April 26 [1 favorite]