Noise and its impact on our world

Noise invades all aspects of our lives. The word noise is actually derived from the Latin word “nausea”, with one possible connection being that unpleasant sounds were made by seasick passengers or sailors in ancient times. In modern times, the demand for noise research and consulting has intensified in concert with rising population densities, growing industrialized societies, escalating demands from consumers, and increasingly common standards and legislation related to noise. The Acoustical Society of America Technical Committee on Noise (TC Noise) is concerned with all aspects of noise, ranging from noise generation and propagation, to active and passive methods of controlling noise, to the effects of noise on humans and animals. This talk will explore the broad topic of noise and its impact on our world.