Introduction to Sonification and Geospatial Data
In this activity, students will explore map storytelling through sonification, transforming georeferenced statistical data into sound compositions. They will collect datasets from European open data platforms, select variables such as population, air quality, or temperature, and use digital tools to convert these numbers into sound. By doing so, they will not only engage in data analysis and coding, but also develop artistic sensitivity and critical thinking about how data represents our environment and society.
A Tour of Data Sonification: Sounds from Around the Milky Way.
This short film introduces how astronomical images are translated into sound,
offering students an accessible entry point to think about data sonification
before they work with geospatial datasets and environmental variables.
Credits: NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory.
A Tour of Data Sonification: Sounds from Around the Milky Way.
Credit: NASA/CXC/A. Hobart.
Original source: Data Sonification project – “Sounds from Around the Milky Way”
(NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory).
Engage your students with the problem through simple introductory activities:
- Ask them: “If a map could sing, what story would it tell?” Then, guide them to explore how sound can represent information by visiting the NASA Data Sonification page, where real astronomical data is turned into sound.
- Invite them to explore short examples of data sonification for Earth systems, such as “Climate Symphony”, or “Sound of the Earth” from ESA to discover how sonification helps interpret environmental changes.
Encourage students to research real-world examples of how sound and data are used in education and science communication, for instance through the project Data Sonification Archive where scientists and artists publish sonified datasets. Ask them to reflect: What makes data sound meaningful? Can sound communicate complexity in ways that visuals cannot?