What is the relationship between whale faeces and 9/11?

And well you might ask that!

Yesterday, whilst listening to a podcast, they were talking about how noise from offshore wind turbines and shipping might be affecting sea-life like whales and fish. Research is showing that more and more sea creatures (if not all of them) use sound to communicate and our noise pollution is probably affecting this.

But how do you show that?

It has been shown that noise pollution has an adverse affect on humans and terrestrial animals alike but how can you show it in sea creatures?

Well when 9/11 occurred, as well as air traffic being reduced, shipping traffic was also reduced. Scientists analysing whale faeces (where would they find this stuff?) which they were doing anyway, found that levels of stress factors present were greatly reduced. i.e. whales were less stressed when shipping (and its noise) were reduced!!

This is why I love Science!! It's a shame that something like 9/11 had to happen to be able to show this. And are we reducing shipping because of it.....?