Welcome to Space News from the Electric Universe,
brought to you by The Thunderbolts Project™
at Thunderbolts.info
The spectacular electromagnetic phenomena in nature are wonder to the senses.
From the dazzling flash of a bolt of lightning
to the dancing lights of the Aurora Borealis
and even St. Elmo's fire,
a luminous plasma phenomenon seen on the masts of ships or on the wings of airplanes.
Our eyes bear witness to our planet's dynamic and still mysterious electrical environment.
But sight is not the only sense by which we detect electrical phenomena.
We have reported on new scientific research
which affirms the existence of electrostatic sounds associated with atmospheric phenomena
including the crackling and whistling noises associated with Auroras
and the electrophonic sounds produced by some meteors.
Today, new scientific research suggests that another
highly controversial audible phenomenon may indeed be physically real.
Not a crackle nor whistle but rather a hum.
Since at least the mid 20th century,
witnesses around the world have reported hearing a puzzling consistent humming sound
with no identifiable physical source.
For decades, a majority of media attention has focused on the so-called Taos Hum,
the mysterious buzzing sound heard by many in the desert of Taos, New Mexico.
Speculations have ranged from the mundane to the very exotic
and skeptics have wondered if the phenomenon really exists at all.
But residents of Taos are not the only ones to have reported a mysterious hum sound.
In fact, similar audible phenomena have been reported over vast regions of North America,
Europe and across the globe from South America to Australia.
Is the hum physically real and if so, is the source natural or man-made?
In this episode, Thunderblog contributor Jimmy Mikecz
offers a compelling summary of the controversial question
including the possibility that The Hum is electromagnetic in nature.
Mysterious Hum by Jimmy Mikecz
You hear a low rumble that sounds like it is about a mile away.
You go outside, but this annoying noise is actually louder in your house.
The low hum is not an appliance, and there are no factories or highways nearby.
You and a few other people in your community can hear it, but not everyone.
Your spouse can't even hear it.
Are you crazy?
What could it be?
You can swear that the odd sound is real, but you are afraid to say something.
You are not alone.
For decades, many have heard this noise called The Hum.
It is usually described as a low rumble,
like an external diesel-powered machine in the distance.
Conversely, many hear the low murmur internally.
The steady drone is not just an irritant for people but affects their daily functioning.
The Hum can be hazardous, often creating distress and contributing to a loss of sleep.
The danger level ranges from a minor irritant all the way to suicide.
Reports of The Hum date back to about 1940.
Media interest spiked in the 1970's when people across the UK reported it to the BBC.
Back then, an industrial noise was the most widely accepted explanation.
Recently, interest in The Hum is re-emerging and additional theories are being developed.
The Hum occurs mainly in North America and Europe
with reports in South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand as well.
The interactive map (above) provides a picture as to where the strange noise is heard.
Note the almost perfect political boundaries that The Hum occupies.
For example, reports in Russia are very sparse, but neighboring countries in Europe
have very high numbers of reports.
It appears that heavily populated areas tend to hear The Hum more frequently.
The sonorous phenomenon has attracted researchers
such as doctors, scientists and acousticians alike.
Even given the widespread research, no consensus has emerged about its origin
though there are currently four prevailing theories.
The first explanation is that The Hum is a form of tinnitus.
Tinnitus is a medical term referring to a "ringing in the ears"
when there is no external noise present.
The tinnitus theory would explain why some people hear it and others do not.
However, The Hum is not spread equally across populations as tinnitus is
and appears to be concentrated in certain areas.
Even though tinnitus is probably not the cause,
some audiologists and physicians treat patients who complain of the problem.
The second idea is that The Hum is a distant industrial noise.
Proponents of this explanation state that industrial motors,
machinery, or other equipment are the source.
The problem?
Not everyone in the area is affected.
If it were machinery, the sound would be heard by all people equally more or less.
People who hear The Hum
also report it in non-noisy areas such as Taos, New Mexico.
In fact, acoustic researchers visited Taos, New Mexico to conduct research
to see if they could find the source.
According to the recent scientific publication,
"The Hum: An Anomalous Sound Heard Around the World,"
scientists attempted to detect low-frequency sound using specialized equipment
but did not record anything that matched the reported sound.
The fact that The Hum is geographically concentrated
and yet not audible to everyone, has led to two remaining theories.
Each makes the claim that The Hum is not a physically audible sound
but rather a perceived sound from a non-auditory source.
Could it be that The Hum is a natural geologic phenomenon?
That theory was put forward in a recent study published in Geologic Letters called
"How Ocean Waves Rock the Earth"
and argues that ocean waves, crashing on the ocean floor
can cause rock layers in the earth to "ring like a bell".
This, in turn, may cause ultra-high frequency sound waves
to emanate into human- occupied areas.
The fact that The Hum is often heard near coastal areas
like the UK, Southeast Australia and New Zealand gives this idea some support.
Conversely, it does not explain why it occurs in specific regions inland.
It is unknown whether or not oceanic pounding
could cause inland forms of the phenomenon.
The last prevailing theory is that The Hum is caused by some form
of electromagnetic frequency (EMF) that is perceived as sound.
EMF waves are unique from sound waves and are a form of common wave energy
that propagates through space such as visible light, radio waves, and microwaves,
which are used in microwave ovens and WiFi communication networks.
It has been shown experimentally that certain EMFs can cause people to perceive sound.
According to research conducted by Allan Frey in 1962,
both deaf and non-deaf people could be induced to hear a noise produced by
microwave radiation in the frequency range of 425-1,310 MHz
at 275 mW/cm^2.
It should be noted that cell phone towers commonly communicate
within this frequency band and power range.
Therefore, the mysterious rumble may be generated by microwave EMF
though some areas of the world, particularly Asia, Africa and South America,
do not appear to be as affected.
Even countries like Japan with relatively free internet
report very few instances of The Hum.
Whether or not there is a language barrier in reporting is not known.
The best course of action for those affected by The Hum
is to report the phenomenon to www.thehum.info
This website, run by Dr. Glen MacPherson
a former lecturer at the University of British Columbia,
allows users to make reports online.
He started the project in 2012 when he heard the mysterious sound
and found no place to report the incidents.
The interactive map above is a product of his Website.
The Hum is a potentially hazardous, noise- like phenomena that affects many communities
mainly across Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Currently, the best four explanations of the bothersome sound
are tinnitus, industrial noise, geologic "ringing," and EMF.
Although well-documented and heavily researched,
there is no consensus as to its origin and much speculation.
Questions remain. Are all The Hums from one source, or many?
What exactly is the extent of the health hazard?
Can this harmful noise be blocked by those affected?
If it is man-made, who is responsible?
Could it be caused by more than one source?
Those who hear The Hum are encouraged to contribute
to the crowd-sourced research project at www.thehum.info
Further research is encouraged by visiting the links below.