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The mysterious hum heard around the world may finally have an explanation | ScienceDaily

sciencedaily.com

A low drone heard worldwide but undetectable by instruments has stumped scientists for decades — and a new explanation may finally crack it.

Signal Detection TheoryPsychoacousticsInfrasound ResearchCollective Behavior
The mysterious hum heard around the world may finally have an explanation | ScienceDaily

Theory Briefing

  • A phenomenon called The Hum has been reported globally for decades, yet standard acoustic instruments consistently fail to detect it.
  • Competing theories range from human-made acoustic pollution to geological or atmospheric sources, with no consensus until now.
  • A new explanation has emerged that may finally account for why only some people hear the persistent low-frequency drone.
  • The Hum's selectivity — heard by a small fraction of any population — is central to the debate over whether its origin is physical or perceptual.