The Taos Hum
Taos, New Mexico, where the Taos Hum originated. Photo: Wikipedia.
Residents of Taos in New Mexico have for years been reporting a mysterious low pitched hum. The source has not been able to be identified.
The Taos Hum
Photo: Unsplash
Taos is a small, artsy community in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It was originally founded in 1615 and currently has a population of around 6,000.
In the 1990s some residents of Taos began complaining about a strange low pitched hum in the town that never seemed to stop.
The Taos Hum was described by those that could hear it as a deep rumbling noise, similar to a large vehicle idling in the distance. It was said to be more easily heard indoors and at night time.
The Taos Hum was so annoying and persistent it was preventing some residents from sleeping. Locals got fed up and demanded the local government do something about the noise.
A public study was commissioned and noise detection instruments were placed around the town. It was discovered only about 2% of residents were able to hear the Taos Hum.
The scientists were never able to identify the source of the hum. The only anomaly in their report was elevated electromagnetic field readings but this has been attributed to powerlines in the area.
Other Hums From Around the World
Auckland, New Zealand. The source of another mysterious low pitched hum. Photo: Unsplash.
Similar unidentified low pitched hums have been reported around the world most notably in Auckland, New Zealand and Windsor, Ontario.
In 2006 several residents in Auckland, New Zealand complained of an annoying low pitched hum. The reports seemed to be concentrated around the north of the city.
A computer engineer named Dr. Tom Muir from Massey University discovered a hum at 56 hertz but was unable to identify the source.
The Auckland Hum was said to be so bad that one resident tried to damage his hearing by starting a chainsaw right next to his ears so that he wouldn’t have to hear it anymore.
The Windsor Hum was a similar low pitch hum heard by residents in Windsor, Ontario. This mystery was solved during the pandemic when the nearby Steel operation on Zug Island shut down: residents finally had some relief from the hum.
Possible Explanations
Could industrial activity be causing the various hums around the world? Photo: Unsplash.
Like the Windsor Hum the source of the Taos Hum and others from around the world will probably eventually be identified as either caused by very large industrial equipment or natural phenomena underground.
There are other theories however that could explain the phenomena.
Tinnitus - Low pitched sounds can be produced inside the human ear and cause great suffering and irritation.
Auditory hallucinations - anxiety about hearing the hum can cause a negative feedback loop where the person begins hearing the noise even though it is not happening.
Military weapons - Some people believe that the US government has created weapons that use infrasound to cause distress in their targets.
What do you think is causing the Taos Hum? Let us know in the comments!
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