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When the flower is full of nectar, the plant emits a specific vibration, inaudible to the human ear but perfectly detectable by certain insects. It is the call for a visit that will nourish the cycle of life. For this to happen, there must be no noise that hides the virtuous frequency that allows communication in nature.

We have long known that there are animals that communicate with sounds too low or too high to be directly noticed by us. The low notes of elephants travel kilometres across the savanna. Sperm whales emit a repeated burst, a kind of crackling sound, with distinct characteristics depending on the area where they usually live, much like our languages.

Nowadays, following the news is becoming like being inside a growing agitation, unless one learns to select sources very carefully. Superficiality, encouragement of polarization and exaggerated gestures are the order of the day. And they are present because they have an effect on today’s society.

We live in a time in which it is very easy to hear constant noise, but increasingly difficult to listen with full attention.

People stop being properly informed, confusion arises, discouragement appears and disengagement grows. A very large segment of the population feels disoriented and without points of reference as a result.

The effects of this dynamic are not innocent. Trump often publishes more than one message a day on his social networks, generally to provoke scandal or break conventions. Many other leaders follow a similar style. People who are isolated and unable to carry out rational analysis are easier to steer.

But in the midst of this chaos, it remains essential to know how to listen to the important things. In Menorca, many people are coordinating in order to make a healthier, more affordable food system a reality, one that is fairer for all parties. A model that encourages an economy with local benefits. It is not a utopia; it is a growing reality that only requires paying attention above the noise aimed at demoralising people.

We must pay attention to the significant events that take place every week on our island. Those that build community, generate hope and show paths with real solutions. The volunteer initiatives that are constantly organised to help make stimulating alternatives possible show participants that ambitious goals can be achieved simply through organised participation that adds up results.

The advanced technology that is emerging now allows us to know that flowering plants change their sound when a small animal has emptied the ambrosia they contained. It has also been discovered that plants usually present a magnetic charge different from that of insects, so that these easily become covered in pollen.

There are also experiments that measure the level of microbiological activity in fertile soil based on the sounds recorded within it. The greater the fertility, the more dialogues are detected. The greater the intensive exploitation, the more sepulchral silence.

Now that winter is ending, and the countryside is awakening, walking through landscapes is one of the best therapies. It is worth remembering that the breeding season is beginning and that disturbances should therefore be reduced. It is time to listen and to allow nature to listen as well.