Can you hear a forest disappear?
Summary
This episode explores the construction of Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, in Borneo, driven by Jakarta’s rapid subsidence. As the city replaces biodiverse rainforest, scientists and indigenous Balik people use bioacoustics to record wildlife sounds and preserve ecological knowledge. The story highlights the tension between sustainability goals and the displacement of local communities, while examining how audio data serves as a baseline to monitor environmental impact.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Anthropic and Citizens/SVB
Intro: Jakarta sinking and new capital plan
Hiking in Borneo and acoustic recorders
Why Jakarta is sinking: groundwater and sea walls
Nusantara: Design, goals, and population plans
Bioacoustics: Monitoring wildlife with sound
Analyzing spectrograms and AI species ID
Indigenous knowledge and cultural significance of sounds
Tour of the new capital construction sites
Impact on local communities and Abidin's concerns
Funding challenges and community collaboration
Conclusion: Listening to the forest and credits
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