Using an original data sonification process, I transformed climate data from the year 1985 to 2022 into a sonic experience, Wake-up Call: Climate Data Sonified. Each year is represented by 4 seconds, and the notes that play during those 4 seconds represent different aspects of the state of the climate during that year:

• The pitch of the note symbolizes average surface temperature anomaly, where a higher pitch indicates a higher temperature.

• The tempo of the note (beats per minute) indicates the average ocean pH level, where a higher tempo indicates a more acidic ocean.

• Finally, the amount the note is distorted represents the amount of average glacier loss.

I applied basic mathematical transformations to the data, using a unique method tailored to each set, all of which is outlined in this spreadsheet. I then overlaid vocal excerpts (in chronological order, starting in 1985) from Carl Sagan, Al Gore, Bernie Sanders, and Barack Obama, all of whom emphasize the severity and urgency of climate change with a focus on the multigenerational nature of this issue. Finally, I ended the piece with a clip of Donald Trump, whose willful ignorance toward the state of the climate feels even more harrowing when contrasted with the sonified data that screams for attention in the background.