But the sound that astonished him most was when he placed a hydrophone — a special microphone typically used to record underwater sounds — at the root of a branch about 60 feet tall during a thunderstorm.
Hydrophones can pick up vibrations from a range of surfaces, including roots. When Rice put on his headphones, he heard a deep, soothing rumbling sound, which he thinks came from vibrations passing through the branches down into the earth as the leaves trembled and quaked in the wind and rain.
Advertisement
And these vibrations can travel pretty far, Rice found out after a small experiment with Friends of Pando Executive Director Lance Oditt.
After the duo gently banged on a branch 90 feet away, the hydrophone registered a low thumping sound — suggesting that vibrations can pass from tree to tree through the Earth, almost like a tin can telephone.
But new research is beginning to uncover why exactly it has this calming effect.
One small study found that listening to nature sounds triggered signs of an increase in what's called parasympathetic activity, which helps activate a sense of calm when under threat.
Advertisement
When the study's participants listened to artificial sounds, they didn't experience the same increase in parasympathetic activity, leading the researchers to conclude that natural nature sounds have a stronger calming effect than artificial ones.
Rice didn't record the sounds of Pando for its potential stress-relieving benefits. Rather, he believes these recordings could have immense potential for exploring the inner workings of Pando's hidden hydraulic system, root depth, insect colonies, and much more.
His recordings will be used in an art exhibit at the Jack Straw New Media Gallery in Seattle in January 2024, Rice told Insider.
{{}}
NewsletterSIMPLY PUT - where we join the dots to inform and inspire you. Sign up for a weekly brief collating many news items into one untangled thought delivered straight to your mailbox.