Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Image credit: Sonic Sea

Sonic Sea (USA, 2015, 60 min.) 

Throughout the ocean, whales depend on sound to mate, find food, migrate, and defend against predators. A century ago the seas were silent, but now humans fill them with an unbearable cacophony – the sonic “bombs” of oil prospectors, the whirr of freight ships, the shrieks of military sonar – driving whales to death and disorientation. Sonic Sea, narrated by Rachel McAdams and featuring Sting, tells the story of Ken Balcomb, a former Navy officer who solved the tragic mystery of a mass stranding, and the global network of scientists working to limit our deadly clamor. Directed by Michelle Dougherty and Daniel Hinerfeld. Produced by Michelle Dougherty and Daniel Hinerfeld, Natural Resources Defense Council, Imaginary Forces in association with International Fund for Animal Welfare, and Diamond Docs. 

Followed by a discussion and Q & A.

This program is supported by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Ocean Education and Outreach program.  For more information on ocean science and your connection to the ocean, visit ocean.si.edu.

Part of the 2016 Environmental Film Festival at NMNH