Underwater Sound In Blue Planet II

A talk by a sound recording expert from Blue Planet II with audio and visual clips, followed by audience questions.

Intrepid Explorers, an organisation which shares stories of field research, is bringing Blue Planet II to Dorset through a special talk at the Marine in Lyme Regis. Professor Steve Simpson will share his experience as Series Academic Advisor for the acclaimed series and other David Attenborough documentaries, such as his Great Barrier Reef programme in 2015.

Much of Professor Simpson’s work focuses on underwater acoustics, including the use of sound by fish and invertebrates, and impacts of human noise on marine life. The ocean is a remarkably noisy place, with whales, dolphins, fish, and invertebrates all producing sound to communicate. These sounds range from the haunting song of the humpback whale song to the explosive clicks of snapping shrimp, and are important for social interactions and predator avoidance. In this talk, Steve will explain how he has pioneered new ways of listening to the ocean and of interacting with fish to understand soundscapes and to unlock the language of fish. His work on underwater noise pollution recently screened in Blue Planet II.