Let it snow ... for serenity's sake.

• Position: Psychology - Brief article

A thick blanket of snow covering streets, walkways, and rooftops can cause some major stress, but it also can be calming. Think about it: when it snows, the world gets quieter. Is it because fewer people are willing to venture outside? That could be part of it, but there actually is some science behind snow's serenity. "Snow is a pretty good sound absorber," says David Herrin, associate professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, who studies acoustics.

Herrin indicates that snow acts much like a lot of commercial sound-absorbing materials do, such as fibers and foams used in cars, HVAC systems, and other equipment. Sound absorption is measured on a scale between zero and one. "In the audible range, a couple inches of snow is roughly around 0.6 or 60% absorbing on average," Herrin explains. "Snow is porous, in...