THE HUM

NTRODUCTION

-----------------------

In all of the blog posts before this one, the majority of them discuss a dark and unsettling mystery that has yet to be solved. Death is a central theme in some of the posts while mystery and testimony prove important to others. The Hum is an auditory mystery that, unlike most unsolved murders, is found and reported throughout the world.

OCCURRENCE

---------------------

The Hum has not been reported a lot in the media, but there are many accounts from people hearing the confusing sound. The Hum is described as a persistent, low-frequency noise that disturbs the people who are able to hear it. It was first reported in the 1960s in Bristol, England according to a published paper on the noise by geoscientist David Deming. Many “Hum Hearers” describe the sound as tormenting, disturbing, and disruptive of their everyday lives. They also state that the best description of the Hum is the sound of a car or truck idling outside your home. The United States began seeing its first reports in the 1980s, most notably in the town of Taos, New Mexico. Residents in Taos also report that they hear a similar, low-frequency sound which even drives some residents crazy.

Other facts about the Hum, according to Hum Hearers, is that the sound is generally heard in rural or suburban areas. It is likely not heard a lot in urban areas due to the already elevated noise levels associated with urban areas. However, other sources state that urban hearers are more prominent since they may hear mysterious sounds from other noises in cities. The majority of hearers only hear the Hum indoors and not outdoors. Furthermore, many state that the sound is much louder during nighttime. One account describes that they have continuous trouble sleeping because the sound is very agitating. Other accounts report not being able to work properly because of the Hum. Some hearers even develop symptoms alongside the sound: some symptoms include sleep-related illnesses, nosebleeds, nausea, and headaches.

It is estimated by scientists that around 2-4% of the global population is able to hear the Hum. Because of the frustration Hum Hearers faced with the auditory mystery, one founded the World Hum Map and Database Project. The goal of this project is to document the information and relative locations of people who are able to hear the Hum. So far, the data analyzed on the map has provided us with interesting information. Firstly, the average age of Hum Hearers is 40 years old, suggesting that primarily middle-aged individuals are the ones who can hear the Hum. Secondly, and more confusingly, Hum Hearers are 8 times more likely to be ambidextrous than people from the general population. Ambidexterity is the ability for someone to write well with both their left and right hands. A very confusing statistic for sure, but it is unknown if these trends among Hum Hearers provide us with anymore useful information as investigations continue to occur.

THEORIES

---------------

A multitude of small theories exist to explain this auditory mystery. A common one cited is that this is simply a case of mass hysteria or misidentification of sounds. For instance, urban hearers may simply be mistaking regular city sounds for the Hum. In the case of mass hysteria, all of the hearers simply imagined the sound. Theorists point out that once people find out about the Hum, they suddenly imagine the Hum for themselves, as if they are wanting to be a part of the testimony and mystery of the Hum.

Early speculators pointed that cell phone towers and electric grids may be the culprit, but this theory is easily debunked with the fact that cell phone towers did not exist during the earliest reports of the Hum.

Some physicians also point to a form of hysteria where hearers develop tinnitus, a disturbance where an individual hears sound that is not present. Hearers, however, state that any attempt to prevent tinnitus from occurring only results in the Hum becoming louder and more apparent.

Radio waves are one of the most popular theories put forth to explain the Hum. Simply put, multiple experiments done by professionals theorize that individuals are able to hear these radio waves and blame them as the Hum.

In reality, the Hum is open to a lot more possibilities on what is happening compared to a disappearance or murder case. Of course, UFO enthusiasts excitedly chant that the Hum is aliens communicating with humans on Earth, but no evidence really backs this claim up. Since the Hum is such a unique and obscure case, it will perhaps forever remain mysterious.

SOURCES

--------------

Cracking the mystery of the “Worldwide Hum” (https://theconversation.com/cracking-the-mystery-of-the-worldwide-hum-60296)

The Hum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hum)

What is the mysterious “global Hum” - and is it simply noise pollution? (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/mar/13/what-is-the-mysterious-gl-hum-and-is-it-simply-noise-pollution)

Mysterious Hum Driving People Crazy Around the World (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/mar/13/what-is-the-mysterious-gl-hum-and-is-it-simply-noise-pollution)

Is the Global Hum Rocking Your World? (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shut-and-listen/201905/is-the-global-hum-rocking-your-world)