‘Stand At The Edge Of Geologic Time’ is a story about geology, and the sights and sounds of Rocky Mountain National park told with binaural audio and 360° images. It was built using a technology called WebVR, which is an open standard that makes it possible to experience VR in a browser.
The project consists of an immersive geology lesson narrated by Oregon State University professor of geology Eric Kirby, and six looping binaural soundscapes that were designed to encourage focused listening and contemplation. As a companion to Professor Kirby’s narrative, each of the six soundscapes can be seen as both a standalone listening experience, and an opportunity to reinforce some of the profound ideas Kirby shares about geology in a different way. Through both Kirby’s narrative and the location-specific soundscapes, our goal was to provide users with an opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for deep time and the history of our planet in a novel way.
