A new experiment goes live today, investigating how people respond to different kinds of digital nature experience.
The study is part of a new collaboration between the BBC and the University of Exeter, called ‘Soundscapes for Wellbeing’, aiming to connect audiences with the nature through creative TV, radio, and online programming.
The experiment is exploring the emotions people feel when they engage with natural environments through varying digital formats, from rich visual scenes to immersive natural sound recordings and big budget wildlife documentaries.
Award-winning film composer, Nainita Desai, and legendary sound recordist, Chris Watson, have both helped to create the study, which is being led by Wellcome Trust funded PhD student, Alex Smalley.
Alex said: “We’ve assembled an amazing team to create this experiment, which fuses approaches from the arts, natural history, and science. We’re hoping as many people as possible will take part, and help us understand how best to bring virtual experiences of nature to those who can’t easily get outside.”
The experiment is hosted online and open to anyone over the age of 18. It takes around 10 minutes to complete. You can take part at bbc.co.uk/soundscapesforwellbeing.
As poor mental health continues to rise in the UK, early research suggests the COVID-19 pandemic could worsen this trend. Yet lockdowns across the country have led some to seek refuge in nature and reconnect with the natural world.
Through special programming across the BBC, Soundscapes for Wellbeing is hoping to bring some of nature’s therapeutic potential to those audiences who are stuck at home.
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Posted On: 25/01/2021