Waking up to the noise of a jackhammer next door is no way to start the day—and the same is true if your home is in the ocean. But fish, whales, dolphins, and other animals that live in the sea can, just like us, become deeply stressed by loud noises. A new study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that “intense underwater sound” from oil and gas exploration, military sonar, and other human activity is bad news for marine life. And the oceans are becoming an increasingly deafening place to live.