How to Be a Better Human
How to Be a Better Human
TED
The last places without human sounds (w/ Matt Mikkelsen)
43 minutes Posted Aug 24, 2026 at 4:00 am.
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Show notes

What is natural sound in an increasingly noisy world? asks sound recordist and audio engineer Matt Mikkelsen. Matt travels the world recording natural sounds in places where you can’t hear anything made by humans: no planes, no cars, no ringing phones. In this episode, Matt joins Chris to talk about the difference between quiet and silence. Matt shares his adventures and work with Quiet Parks International and even shares a story about the time he was struck by lightning. They also talk about the importance of choosing our acoustic environment and why it’s important to unplug and sit still in nature.


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