In 2003, scientists conducted a strange experiment with 750 volunteers in the form of a fear-inducing concert.
For a long time, it has been suspected that infrasound – low-frequency sound beyond human hearing – can have bizarre effects on listeners. However, in 2003, there was still very little research on this topic. Thus, a group of scientists from the UK National Physical Laboratory decided to test infrasound at a concert alongside regular music.
The organ is said to produce infrasound that chills listeners. (Photo: Nina Alizada).
“In the experiment, we wanted to determine whether infrasound in music could create unusual psychological effects, even if the listeners were unaware of its presence,” explained Sarah Angliss, a composer and sound designer involved in the project.
“What was particularly interesting was the impact on emotions. Infrasound is used in ‘sacred’ music, for example, in organ performances at cathedrals. The reason for its use is a controversial issue. Some argue that this sound enhances feelings of awe, making listeners shiver. Others believe that the huge pipes producing infrasound are merely ‘an expensive way to create a breeze’. Strangely, infrasound has also been detected in some locations thought to be haunted, creating a sense of unease for listeners,” she added.
In an example Angliss provided, scientists working in a laboratory in Coventry, England, reported feelings of sadness, chills, and various other strange phenomena, including seeing “shapes” in the peripheral vision of one scientist. When a scientist discovered a metal leaf in a vibrating clip, he investigated and found the possible cause of all the trouble: a new exhaust fan in the laboratory was producing infrasound. When the fan was turned off, the troubles also disappeared.
Returning to the 2003 experiment, the team of experts from the UK National Physical Laboratory decided to emit sound at a frequency of 17.5 Hz, beyond the human hearing threshold, using a 7-meter-long tube during a concert in London. Infrasound was only played during certain pieces of music, and the audience was unaware of which ones they were. Nevertheless, 22% of the 750 audience members reported experiencing strange effects during the pieces that featured infrasound. These effects included feelings of sadness, chills, discomfort, and fear.
“These results suggest that infrasound can lead people to have strange experiences even if they are not aware of the low-frequency sound. Some scientists have suggested that this sound may appear in certain locations thought to be haunted and cause strange sensations that people attribute to ghosts – our findings support this view,” said Professor Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire.
Subsequent studies, including one that actively set up a “haunted room” in the journal Cortex in 2009, also showed that infrasound can produce effects similar to haunting phenomena in people. Of course, not every haunting phenomenon can be explained this way. There are many other explanations, such as deception, carbon monoxide poisoning, and phenomena that are not yet fully understood.
