Health at risk

Why learning in noisy environments is problematic for children

Quiet, please! Studies show how environmental noise can affect children's learning success.(Bild: Olga Yastremska, New Africa, Africa Studio)

Cars and buses humming, the train roaring in, the jackhammer rattling on building sites, honking and banging - (big) cities offer a constant background noise. This can have a negative impact on health. Especially for children, for whom more noise also makes learning more difficult. We explain why this is the case and what can be done about it.

The United Nations regularly issues warnings about this, and the latest Frontiers report from the Environment Program was no exception: Noise pollution in cities is becoming a global threat to public health! Without getting dramatic, here are the hard facts: