Explore the globe through real field recordings

Earth Garden is an interactive globe that lets users explore real environmental recordings from locations around the world. The project is inspired by Radio Garden, but it replaces radio broadcasts with sounds from nature and cities.

Users can hear waves lapping at the shores of remote islands in the Atlantic, crickets in Tanzania, and rainfall on the streets of Manhattan. The service is designed for both background listening and closer attention to details such as burbling brooks and urban noise.

Earth Garden uses recordings from Freesound, so audio quality can vary and volume levels may be inconsistent between clips. The available recordings are also more concentrated in the US and Europe, particularly the UK.

The globe can rotate automatically. As its reticle approaches points on Earth, the experience transitions to new recordings. Users can also add generic ambient drones in the background. The result is a simple way to move between environmental sounds from different places, whether for relaxed listening or for focusing on small details.