Strange Noise in Paris Sounds Like an Empty Stomach

Climate change is starving many people around the world. Listed as one of the major causes of global hunger, extreme weather events — and, consequently, their higher frequency — lead to the destruction of land, livestock, and crops, threatening humanity’s food security, particularly of people living in developing countries with environments prone to climate hazards.

“Acting for climate means fighting against hunger,” says Delphine Marques, Communication Director at Action Contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger), an NGO that has been fighting against hunger for nearly four decades. In their most recent action, the organization listened to the Earth and captured the sound it makes when extreme weather events act. Droughts, collapsing glaciers, thunderstorms have impacts on the environment but they also reflect in the bellies of many people around the globe.

Climate extremes make scary noises that sound very similar to the ones an empty stomach makes. Imagine how millions of them would sound like. Can you hear the sound? Paris inhabitants around the city heard the Earth’s roars, a thundering sound that echoed through the city’s streets. Described as “something like a storm,” the noise left the citizens confused and generated a lot of buzz online. Eventually, the NGO untangled the mystery through a 30-second-long film, highlighting the link between climate crisis and hunger.

The audio activation is signed by agency Hungry & Foolish and it is meant to raise collective awareness about the catastrophic effects climate change has on the food system. Viewers find out from the video that “When the Earth roars, stomachs across the globe roar too.”

Lorena Rodriguez Alvarez, Head of Mobilization and Campaigns, said: “We set up a sound system, put together sounds from the effects of climate change such as storms, glaciers breaking up, hurricanes to make something that sounds a lot like the one of a stomach roaring.”

The climate crisis negatively affects ecosystems, the economy, and livelihoods, particularly of those who depend on agriculture. According to France’s Organisation Pour Alimentation et l’Agriculture (Food and Agriculture Organization), climate change is amongst the three major causes of hunger in the world.

The Paris-based agency broadcasted the rumbling noise at five locations across the town: Beaubourg, Batignolles, Rue de Commerce, Bourse, and Montorgueil. On the morning of May 27, Parisians were left wondering what could possibly generate that sound. The same day at noon, people got their answer. The weird noise is actually the sound of a hungry stomach rumbling composed of noises that accompany extreme weather events. The initiative is an invitation through which the NGO asks us to act against climate change and help fight hunger.