If you’ve ever been outside in a city, you know how noisy it can be. It can even be hard to hear the person next to you . There’s even a name for it: noise pollution. And these disruptive noises don’t just happen on land. They can happen in oceans, too.
Artash Nath is an 18-year-old from Toronto, Canada and he has made it his mission to noise pollution in the world’s oceans. His accomplishments are the reason why he has been announced as one of the winners of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes.
Each year, this prize is awarded to 25 young people, aged 8-18, who have made a big difference in the world. Nath is being recognized for his website MonitorMyOcean.com . He started this project in 2020 during the beginning of the COVID-19 . During lockdown, Nath noticed an increase in bird song and animal activity. Nath had heard studies saying that this was because there was a decrease in outdoor human activity. When there isn’t as much human activity, animals can explore more. Nath was curious to know if this also applied to the oceans.
Whales use sounds or to communicate with each other. This allows them to hunt and navigate their way through oceans. If they can’t hear each other, they can’t communicate.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) manages a near a shipping lane off the California coast. It is public data. Nath developed to analyze four years of ocean recordings. He found that his suspicion that ocean noise decreased during lockdown was correct. Without as much shipping or tourism, the ocean was three times quieter than usual.
MBARI went on to Nath’s findings and encouraged him to continue his research. This led to Nath gaining access to 24 years of hydrophone recordings. With this information, Nath developed MonitorMyOcean.com. This website is a place to monitor and track any changes in ocean noise levels. This helps those involved in whale conservation, including the media, policymakers, and researchers. His website’s app is even by the United Nations.
Now, Nath has another project in the works called You-OCEANS. It uses to identify whale populations and diversity through hearing their specific whale calls—it is about 98% accurate!
Nath has also developed online training to help others who want to monitor noise in oceans. He said, “I believe working for the public good is everyone’s responsibility, and I am confident that I will continue using my technology and data skills to make a difference.”
Updated September 26, 2024, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
By Maria Couto