Named The Hum, this strange low-frequency sound is only heard by 2% of the population in isolated areas.
The sound typically manifests in the dead of night, and once you hear it, you will be haunted by it forever. It is referred to as “The Hum,” described as a steady sound somewhat akin to the noise of an airplane, reported in various locations around the globe such as Taos, New Mexico (USA), Bristol, England, and Largs, Scotland.
The discomfort caused by The Hum is not only due to the sensation it evokes in the listener’s mind but also the mystery of why it haunts only a mere 2% of the population in certain areas.
The cause of The Hum and why it only affects a small portion of the populace in specific regions remains a mystery, despite numerous studies conducted by scientists. Live Science magazine has even ranked it among the top 10 unexplained phenomena.
Reports began surfacing in the 1950s from individuals who had never before encountered such an unusual sound. They were unexpectedly tormented by a low-frequency noise that resembled a rumbling or droning sound.
These cases share some common characteristics. The Hum is only audible indoors and is louder at night than during the day. It is most prevalent in rural or suburban areas. Very few reports come from urban centers, likely due to the steady background noise in bustling cities.
Bristol, England, is one of the first places on Earth where reports of The Hum emerged. In the 1970s, around 800 people in this coastal city claimed to hear a rhythmic droning sound, which researchers attributed to traffic and local factories operating around the clock.
Another well-known location where The Hum is reported is Taos in New Mexico, USA. Beginning in the spring of 1991, residents in the area reported experiencing a low rumbling sound. A research team from Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of New Mexico could not identify the source of the sound.
The low-frequency sound of The Hum is disturbing to those who hear it. (Photo: Facebook).
Other places that have reported The Hum include Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Bondi in Sydney, Australia. “It drives people around here crazy. All you can do is turn up the music or cover your ears. Some people leave a fan running constantly,” quoted a resident from Bondi in the Telegraph.
Back in the United States, the Hum in Kokomo was isolated in a study conducted in 2003, funded by the city of Indiana. The investigation revealed two industrial sites—one being a Daimler Chrysler factory—that were producing noise at specific frequencies. Despite noise mitigation measures, some residents continued to complain about the Hum.
Only about 2% of those living in areas where The Hum is detected can hear the sound, with most of them aged between 55 to 70, according to a 2003 study by acoustic consultant Geoff Leventhall in Surrey, England.
The majority of those who hear The Hum describe the sound as similar to that of a diesel engine running steadily nearby. The noise truly drives people to despair.
“It’s a form of torture. Sometimes, you just want to scream,” shared Katie Jacques, a retired resident of Leeds, England, with the BBC. “It’s worst at night. It’s very hard to go back to sleep because I hear the droning sound in the background. The more you toss and turn, the more you hear it and the more agitated you become.”
Most victims of The Hum have normal hearing. They often complain of headaches, nausea, dizziness, nosebleeds, and sleep disturbances. At least one case of suicide in England has been attributed to The Hum, according to the BBC.
Researchers studying The Hum express their belief that this phenomenon is real and not a result of mass hysteria or the delusions of the listeners. They are also certain that it is not extraterrestrial signals being sent from outer space, as many conspiracy theorists suspect.
Industrial equipment is the primary suspect for emitting The Hum. In one instance, Leventhall discovered that the sound originated from the central heating system in the neighboring building.
Other suspected sources include high-pressure gas lines, power lines, and wireless communication devices. However, in only a few cases has The Hum been linked to machinery or electronic devices.
Researchers also speculate that The Hum could be the result of low-frequency electromagnetic radiation that only certain individuals can hear. In many cases, individuals have a heightened sensitivity to signals that are below the normal human hearing threshold.
Medical experts point out that tinnitus is a suitable answer, but repeated tests have found that many victims have normal hearing and do not experience tinnitus.
They also mention environmental factors, including seismic activity such as microseisms, and very low-frequency vibrations in the ground caused by ocean waves.
Another hypothesis is that military experiments and submarine communication are unverified causes. At present, those who hear The Hum must rely on noise-canceling machines and other devices to mitigate or eliminate this disturbing sound.
Acoustic expert Geoff Leventhall, who advises some victims to seek cognitive behavioral therapy to alleviate symptoms caused by The Hum, is not confident that the puzzle will be solved anytime soon.
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