Noise in a Pandemic

By Alyssa Helmling 

Noise is inescapable in a large, bustling city like Boston, and it can be harmful to both wildlife and human health. The global COVID-19 pandemic altered the soundscape of cities as quarantine mandates led to dramatic decrease in human activity. We utilized this opportunity to study noise pollution before, during, and after the pandemic. 
 
With a student population over thirty-two thousand, the Boston University campus is typically a noisy place which we measured before the pandemic using the SPLnFFT sound meter app with iPhones. During the 2020 academic school year many students chose not to return to campus and instead took classes from home, and our new set of measurements showed that BU was now quieter. 

BU campus comes back to life as students return for an in-person school year. Photo by Cydney Scott (link).

And now that many pandemic-related restrictions had been lifted in Boston in 2021, high sound levels have returned in many areas of the BU campus. Our research demonstrates how much cities might be able to reduce harmful, pervasive noise.