Sanctuaries of Silence by Adam Loften & Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee →

“Sanctuaries of Silence,” a VR Op-Doc from The New York Times, is a beautiful ode to the soundscapes of nature. The narrator brings you on a journey to the quiet of the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park. It is not without its noises, but it is free from the noise of industry, free from the noises of humanity. It is thought to be the one of the quietest places in North America.

But these places are not protected. The narrator states that there is no place on Earth which is protected from noise pollution, including planes flying overhead. Any places free from this noise are not guaranteed this for moments. I’m not sure if we can truly protect a place from all noise pollution that isn’t some remote island, far from the bustling cities. I do, however, share the narrator’s love for true quiet, freedom from the sounds of the twentieth century’s inventions. I hope places like Hoh Rainforest continue to exist without extensive noise pollution, preserving one final place free from humanity’s loud world.