UK school uses domes to silence airport noise

[April 26, 2013]  LONDON (AP) -- A school close to London's busy Heathrow Airport has found a novel way to protect its young students from the relentless roar of planes taking off and landing nearby.

The school has installed a series of sound-cancelling adobe domes outdoors so that its students, ages 3 to 7, can enjoy playtime and lessons outside without fearing damage to their ears.

The domes, constructed from coiled bags of earth, were originally designed for earthquake and emergency zones, but they've proved popular among the schoolchildren.

Hounslow Heath Infant and Nursery School head teacher Kathryn Harper-Quinn said Thursday that installing the domes has encouraged more outdoor activities at the school, which sees a plane flying just a few hundred feet above it every few minutes.

[Associated Press]

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