News by Subject Social & Behavior

As wind power generation becomes more important, experts in Australia are examining whether wind 'farm' turbine background noise in the environmental can affect sleep and wellbeing of nearby residents. While five previous studies showed no systemic effects on common sleep markers such as time taken to fall asleep and total sleep time - they did reveal some more subtle effect on sleep such as shifts in sleep stages and less time in deep sleep, Flinders University researchers say in a review study.

Noise can make or break a dining experience, according to a laboratory study replicating common noise levels in restaurants. The acoustic experts say the study proves that high noise levels can play a major part in a dining experience - along with the quality of the food and restaurant service.

Three researchers from Concordia University's Centre for Sensory Studies recently completed a study that looks at how all the specific techniques the local casino uses to create a "sensuous" gambling experience affect the client. The authors argue that their ethnographic study is among the first to explore how these sensory design techniques work together to shape the atmosphere of the casino.

A new study by the University of Oxford and the University of Leicester has found a connection between traffic noise and obesity. Long-term exposure to road traffic noise, such as living near a motorway or on a busy road, was associated with an increase in body mass index and waist circumference, which are key markers of obesity.