Bad, Bad, Bad... Bad Vibrations? Dousing the NOISE - Advice from Funnel-Weaving Spiders

Is there an antidote to too much noise in your head when you're trying to focus or rest? Try dampening the vibrations. As it turns out, the Pennsylvania grass spider, a funnel web-weaver, can offer us a Nature-based Solution (NbS) for too much noise, which your Mother might also have tried to teach you as a child: "Be Still."

If you've been feeling a bit overwhelmed from the chaotic state of the world, how about drowning out human-made noise by dampening your web receptors? No, not a numbing synthetic depressant, but good old fashioned quietude - Stillness.

What can we learn about Stillness from the webs of our arachni-kin?

University of Nebraska-Lincoln biologists studied urban and rural spiders who reacted differently when subjected to noisy (anthropophonic or human-generated noise) environments. (https://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(25)00205-2)

"The team focused on the Pennsylvania grass spider (Agelenopsis pennsylvanica), a quarter-sized arachnid that’s widespread across North America. Also known as funnel-weaving spiders, these creatures build tapered, tube-shaped webs that aren’t sticky. They wait until unsuspecting prey enters the funnel before quickly moving to bite and immobilize their meal. This technique depends on the spider being able to instantaneously detect the vibration when an insect has bumped into its web. Any outside noise could make that harder." (Rudy Molinek, "Getting Annoyed at Your Noisy Neighbor? Spiders Are, Too. New Research Finds They'll Build Webs Differently in Loud Conditions." Smithsonian Magazine, March 25, 2025)

Weaving the Web for Good Vibrations

What the research team learned is that the city spiders responded to excessive environmental noise by effectively soundproofing their webs, muffling the sounds of the noisy environment to send fewer vibrations to the spider, so they could feel the "good" vibrations produced by unsuspecting prey. In other words, they added dampening to the web for unwanted, excess human-generated noise to amplify the vibrations they needed. Accordingly, the country (rural) spiders featured in the study enhanced their webs to amplify natural vibrations because there was less human-generated, competing noise vibration.

Excessive noise affects humans adversely, as we can probably already attest if we live anywhere near other humans generating noise. Besides the obvious - hearing loss, directly tied to onset dementia - there is a panoply of disorder associated with too much noise. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6901841/)

Excessive noise pollution from urbanization and industrialization is tied to a whole host of cognitive and emotional health disorders:

• Cognitive impairment; memory deficit

• Oxidative stress pathways in the brain

• Depression

• Neurogenerative disorders

• Emotional stress

• Anxiety

Research is clear on this issue: too much noise hurts.

What can we learn from the funnel-weaving spiders about Stillness?

A Nature-inspired solution for dampening unwanted noise is to smooth the bad vibrations, calm the bombardment for the weary neural receptors. Invite the good vibrations by toning down/dampening the unwanted ones.

When we are in our "funnel webs," our homes or sacred places - our "Soulscapes" - it is there where we can most effectively dampen the noise that assaults and deadens. We can make our "web" less susceptible to excessive and unwanted vibration by creating a stabilizing calm. We can intentionally dampen excessive noise by being still ourselves. Practicing Shinrin Yoku, a Nature-immersive focus experience that isolates each sense in order to improve focus, balance, and grounding, is another way. Regular centering breath exercise is another way. Deep, calming breaths recalibrate our space-time awareness to reflect our own biorhythms, lowering bp and heart rate, reducing our stress cortisol levels.

A few Nature-inspired Soulutions for dampening our web-vibrations and revitalizing our Soul:

• Take 5.

• Practice Shinrin Yoku.

• Take a Full-Sensory Nature Plunge.

• Center with Grounding exercises like Mindfulness, Meditation, Yoga, Tai chi/Qigong, or simply breathing deeply.

• Turn off the smart phone notifications unless absolutely necessary.

• Douse the laptop/smart phone/tablet screens or turn them off an hour before bedtime.

• Turn down the t.v., and mute the high-volume ads.

• Turn down the car stereo and ear bud volume, or turn it off altogether for a quiet ride/jog/walk. Let Nature provide its Biophony - the good vibrations!

• Find a quiet, natural place and visit there often. Trees are excellent vibrational dampeners. Go to the forest or botanical gardens. Find a waterfall, lake, or river. Go to the seaside and just listen. Allow the waves to dampen the human-made noise and resonate in your body.

• Listen for Nature wherever you are, even if you have to strain your ears and drown out the cacophony of human-made noise. Focus on the good vibrations.

• Relax. Yes. Be still.

The Web-Weavers are setting a good example!