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NASA has funded the "Eclipse Soundscapes Project" to collect the sights and sounds during the total solar eclipse in the afternoon on Monday, Apr. 8.
Scientists are asking for the public's help recording how different ecosystems react to the sudden midday change.
You can share your observations on social media using the hashtag #EclipseSoundscapes. Don't forget to tag the location where you experience the eclipse.
Weird plant and animal behaviors during eclipses have been reported for centuries but the reason for those changes hasn't been fully understood.
"Eclipses are often thought of as a visual event – something that you see," said project spokesperson Kelsey Perrett. "We want to show that eclipses can be studied in a multi-sensory manner, through sound and feeling and other forms of observation."
Some odd reactions to eclipses have included birds that stop singing, crickets that start chirping, and bees that suddenly return to their hives. In places where sunlight is completely blocked in what's known as the path of totality, it looks similar to dusk, temperatures can drop, and some stars become visible.
Those changes can trick animals into changing their normal daytime behaviors.
Researchers from North Carolina State University are also studying what animals do during an eclipse. Biological sciences professor Adam Hartstone-Rose brought a group of students and other scientists to study animals at Fort Worth Zoo in Texas.
The NC State study is following up on one during the 2017 total solar eclipse. Hartstone-Rose studied "surprising behavior" from 17 species at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina, which was in the path of totality during that eclipse.
The Eclipse Soundscapes Project is recreating a similar study by American scientist William Wheeler after a 1932 total solar eclipse over northeastern Canada and the US.
Almost 500 public observations were recorded in Wheeler's study and the modern-day project is seeking many more volunteers. Researchers are asking for audio recordings and written observations of what people see, hear, or feel during the eclipse.
The study is especially interested in studying cricket behavior to see if nocturnal animals act differently during an eclipse.
"The more audio data and observations we have, the better we can answer these questions," said Perrett. "Contributions from participatory scientists will allow us to drill down into specific ecosystems and determine how the eclipse may have impacted each of them."
The project also allows people to get involved whether or not they are among the estimated 30 million people in the path of totality. You can go on the Eclipse Soundscape Project website to learn about eclipses, submit observations, and analyze data.
Some data collectors helping the project will use an AudioMoth device that has a microSD card to record sounds during an eclipse. Observers can also write down what they experience during an eclipse.
Data analysts can also listen to the recorded audio to help analyze what was heard.
"When it comes down to it, answering our science questions about how eclipses impact life on Earth depends entirely on the data that people volunteer to contribute," Perrett said. "Our participants, including our project partners and facilitators, allow us to span the entire eclipse path and collect way more data than would be possible for just one small team."
Anyone who completes a role with the project will receive a downloadable certificate.
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