Radio 4 listeners will be exposed to sounds never heard by mankind before when they tune into The Sound of Life – a programme which takes the listener on an acoustic journey to discover the past, present and future of sound.

This Open University/BBC Radio 4 series delves into why life sounds as it does, moving from vocalization to language, and from language to aesthetics. Hosted by Aubrey Manning (Landscape Mysteries), The Sound of Life take listeners around the globe - from the Costa Rican jungle to the deepest darkest seabed - blending theory and ideas with sounds recorded on location and soundscapes to draw both host and listener into a unique acoustic experience.

From the first sounds heard on the earth to the acoustic future of communication, Sounds of Life uses electronic mastery meshed with the pure and simple sounds of nature to paint a canvas of sound through the ages.

Find out more about each of the programmes in the series:
1. First Sounds
2. Making Yourself Heard
3. The Art of Listening
4. Beyond Our Senses
5. Underwater Chorus
6. Meaning of Sounds
7. Soundings From The Future
8. The Song of the Earth