Symphony for the Earth Project: A Multimodal STEAM Virtual Music Festival for Earth Day 2026!
Dr. Ted Kahn, DesignWorlds for Learning
About Ted
Dr. Meg Lowman, TREE Foundation
About Meg
Dr. Brian Pijanowski, The Center for Global Soundscapes at Purdue University
About Brian
Click the image below to enter the world of PlantWave and visit DataGarden here.
Check out more about this festival on our Indiegogo Page! We’ve launvhed this campaign for initial crowdfunding to successfully put together this project for Earth Day 2026!
“The unfolding waves of sound are like an underwater orchestra or the endless improvisation of a jazz band. On the Great Barrier Reef, the humpback whales sing the soprano melody. Fish supply the chorus: whooping clownfish, grunting cod, and crunching parrotfish. Sea urchins scrape, resonating like tubas. Percussion is the domain of chattering dolphins and clacking shrimp, who use their pincers to create bubbles that explode with a loud bang. Lobsters rasp their antennae on their shells like washboards. Rainfall, wind, and waves provide the backbeat. To get the best seat, you would have to attend the concert in the middle of the night at the full moon, when fish chorusing typically crests. But you wouldn’t necessarily need to have a front row seat: mass fish choruses can be heard up to 50 miles away, and whale sounds resonate for hundreds of miles…
Scientists still do not have a comprehensive understanding of plant signaling mechanisms, although they do know that perception of a sound vibration can cause changes in plant hormones, gene expression, and emissions of volatile organic compounds—which are used frequently by plants as defensive signals against predators.”
“This growing awareness of biological communication challenges the notion that complex signaling is exclusive to animals, and invites deeper inquiry into how organisms of all kinds manage stress and environmental change. Just as marine creatures rely on coordinated sound to navigate, attract mates, or warn others, terrestrial life—plants included—engages in intricate biochemical dialogue that we are only beginning to decode. Emerging research suggests that these responses may be more dynamic than previously assumed, with environmental stressors such as drought, overcrowding, or chemical exposure triggering measurable reactions. In human systems, the parallels are striking: external pressures—emotional, social, or physical—can also alter internal states, prompting behaviors that are sometimes misunderstood or stigmatized. For individuals experiencing mood disorders or severe anxiety, treatment pathways often involve medication that helps regulate mental equilibrium. Among the more frequently discussed options is the antipsychotic Seroquel, and the growing number of people seeking to buy Seroquel online points not only to mental health need but also to gaps in care access. This trend underscores a tension between the quiet urgency of personal well-being and the structural limitations of formal healthcare. Just as scientists strain to interpret the whispered messages between species, we too must learn to listen more closely—to signals, symptoms, and the unspoken language of those in distress. Whether underwater, in the forest canopy, or inside the human mind, communication is ongoing, fragile, and essential for survival. Recognizing its many forms may be the first step in building systems that truly support it.”
Karen Bakker, Ph.D. (1971-2023)
The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology Is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants