About Gordon Hempton
Gordon Hempton, the Sound Tracker. An acoustic ecologist who's spent the last four decades seeking out natural vanishing soundscapes around the world, he's on a mission to save silence.
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The Sound Tracker®
Gordon Hempton
Join internationally acclaimed acoustic ecologist, Gordon Hempton, as we listen to sunrise circle the globe, hear snow melt, whales sing and discover that the Earth is music, clear enough to hum all day.
And let’s re-examine our widely held belief that the human ear evolved to hear human speech. We will listen to nature sounds that fit neatly into our peak hearing sensitivity (2 kHz–5 kHz) and speculate about the evolutionary consequences of detecting these sounds over great distances.
During modern times with our global environmental crises is it enough to hear ourselves or must we, as a species still subject to the laws of survival, once again listen to what the Earth is telling us.
The Book
One Square Inch of Silence
"Many books help us see the world differently; this one induces us to hear the world clearly."Booklist, Starred Review Read Now
The Film
Soundtracker
"This is a remarkable journey: a quest for imperiled Nature an artist who never stopped listening."Ken Burns Watch Now
One Square Inch Of Silence
Hempton is an acoustic ecologist who has spent 35 years circling the globe three times pursuing Earth’s rarest nature sounds. These sounds require absence of manmade noise for full appreciation.
He invites visitors to enjoy planetary sonic wonders and join efforts defending the live concert by visiting One Square Inch of Silence.
Hempton circled the globe recording dawn’s chorus, resulting in the Emmy Award-winning PBS documentary Vanishing Dawn Chorus. He continues publishing, designing soundscapes, and consulting as an advocate for preserving vanishing natural sounds.
“Gordon Hempton is turning up the volume on Earth's rarest sounds while working to preserve them.”
“There is something about them that makes you want to redefine the words truth and beauty.”
“Pure, unedited nature… a blend of science and poetry.”
“Your ears are caressed by resonant acoustical poetry.”
“Gordon Hempton brings new meaning to the word purist. He meticulously scouts out sites for their unique acoustic properties.”
“Someday Gordon Hempton's recordings may be heard as the last echo of nature.”