Listen to the sounds of the rainforest

#GreatBigStory

The Kalimantan Rainforest in Borneo, Indonesia is one of the most biodiverse spots on Earth. Bustling with life, the dense greenery is home to orangutans, all kinds of birds, frogs, you name it. But the rainforest won’t stay that way if mining and logging continues unchecked. Which is why The Nature Conservancy’s Dr. Eddie Game is listening to the sounds of the rainforest to measure the impact of human activity on the area’s wildlife.

Vocabulary chunks to learn from video

• And believe it or not
• One of the most biodiverse places on the planet
• Mining and logging
• As a measure of environmental health
• Vocal ones
• A bioacoustics monitor
• Trek hours through the forest
• Pulling around 20 devices in a day
• We literally strap it to a tree
• And set it to record
• Lots of hard work and sweat
• The rainforest is so dense
• Eddie listens to the sounds
• How full the soundscape is
• Forestry companies and communities
• It often surprises people just how noisy a forest is

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They all love jazz

[Great big story]

“Florida dairy farmer Ed Henderson has been playing the trombone since elementary school. And these days his audience, well, fits the scenery. Turns out, cows love jazz music! What began as a one-off backyard practice session, has turned into a regular gig that Henderson says entertains and pleases his audience of 6,800 or so cows. Hey, whatever works! “

Vocabulary chunks to learn after watching the video :

• They have one big thing in common
• They all love Jazz
• A small town
• A dairy farmer
• Home to about 6800 cows
• Elementary School
• A back yard
• A full audience
• Creatures of habit
• An ability to understand what’s threatening and what’s pleasing
• Music is definitely pleasing
• At the end of the day we are all having a good time
• From day one
• Playing the trombone
• Our interaction with these animals

 

I will remember that moment for the rest of my life

[Great big story]

“Emma Dahlström and Jesper Tjäder are both professional free-skiers who compete on the Swedish National Ski Team. In their careers, the pair has travelled around the world to ski some of the steepest, iciest and gnarliest slopes. But they had never experienced anything like the sheer vertical madness they took on during a recent trip to Peru. There, they shredded the sandy hillsides of Huacachina and Cerro Blanco—the highest sand dune in the world.” Visit Emma’s Instagram account HERE and Jesper’s HERE

Vocabulary chunks to learn after watching the video :

• The biggest sand dune in the world
• 400 Feet of vertical drop until you get to the bottom
• A professional free skier
• We are both on the Swedish national team
• Travel all over the world
• All you could see is desert
• It felt pretty similar to snow
• It felt cool to ski in shorts and a t-shirt
• We headed out to Cerro Blanco
• We hiked with all our gear
• It was such a crazy feeling