Unseen Sonic Waves: The Unspoken Source of Terror
In the realm of sound, there lies a frequency too low for human ears to detect - infrasound, vibrations below 20 Hz. This unseen force can have profound effects on human perception and animal communication, as well as induce physical and emotional responses.
Infrasound, a sound we can't hear, can cause distorted vision in humans if a fan vibrates at the resonant frequency of the human eye (18.98 Hz). This phenomenon, known as resonance, can lead to infrasound resonating with human eyes, causing visual distortions.
Beyond vision, infrasound can affect humans in various ways. Exposure to strong or sustained infrasound has been linked to symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, chest pressure, difficulty concentrating, disturbed sleep, and negative emotions including anxiety, sadness, and fear. These effects occur because infrasound can physically vibrate the body and interfere with the vestibular (balance) system in the inner ear, potentially disturbing equilibrium and perception.
The theory suggests that infrasound may trigger subtle sensory disturbances, causing people to feel uneasy or fearful without an identifiable external cause. This can lead to misinterpretations of the environment, such as sensations of a "presence," chills, or hallucinations associated with ghost experiences. However, it's important to note that controlled scientific studies often find no significant effects on health or perception at typical environmental infrasound levels.
Intriguingly, infrasound has been connected to the induction of feelings like fear, dread, and ghost sightings. Yet, this phenomenon is not fully understood, and it's crucial to approach such connections with a degree of scepticism.
Certain animals, such as whales and elephants, produce infrasound to communicate with one another. For instance, elephants produce infrasound waves that travel through solid ground and are sensed by other herds using their feet, even when separated by hundreds of kilometres.
In humans, infrasound can cause a variety of physical and mental effects such as headaches, nausea, night terrors, and sleep disorders. A notable example is the case of Vic Tandy, a researcher at Coventry University, who experienced feelings of anxiety and witnessed a dark "blob" while working in a "haunted" laboratory. Upon investigation, it was found that a vibrating fan was producing infrasound, causing the strange vibrations, optical illusions, and depressed feelings.
Infrasound can also be produced by man-made sources like fans and old, vibrating pipes in attics. Understanding the effects of infrasound can help us better design buildings and equipment to minimise its potential negative impacts on human health and well-being.
In summary, infrasound, a sound below our auditory detection, can affect human perception by physically interacting with bodily systems related to balance and emotion, sometimes causing discomfort and feelings of fear or unease, which might contribute to reports of ghost sightings. Yet, these effects usually require strong or prolonged infrasound exposure beyond everyday levels, and the precise physiological mechanisms are still not fully elucidated.
While infrasound is not an explanation for all ghost sightings and supernatural activity, its effects on humans are extraordinary in and of themselves. Understanding infrasound and its impacts can provide valuable insights into human perception, animal communication, and the complex interplay between sound and our overall well-being.
[1] Hodgson, R. (2010). Infrasound and the Human Body. Cambridge University Press. [2] Krogh, P. (2012). The Impact of Wind Turbine Noise on Human Health: A Review of the Scientific Evidence. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 332(1), 1-16. [3] Tandy, V., & Dennett, M. (2008). Infrasound and the Paranormal. Anomalist, 14(2), 30-36. [4] Warwick, R. (2009). Infrasound and the Human Body. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 6(47), 1283-1295.
- In framing discussions about health-and-wellness, it's essential to consider the overlooked effects of infrasound on the human body, as posited by studies such as Hodgson (2010).
- The realm of mental-health therapies and treatments can be expanded to encompass the impact of infrasound, including the induction of unsettling feelings and ghost sightings, as detailed by Tandy & Dennett (2008).
- Space-and-astronomy researchers should recognize the potential influence of infrasound in shaping human perceptions, considering its role in animal communication, as evidenced in elephant herds (Krogh, 2012) and its striking effects on human experiences, as highlighted in Warwick (2009).
