Infrasound linked with "hauntings" - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Antagony · 09-08-2003, 02:27 PM

Article from Reuters --> link

Soundless Music Shown to Produce Weird Sensations
Sun September 7, 2003 07:09 PM ET
By Patricia Reaney

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Mysteriously snuffed out candles, weird sensations and shivers down the spine may not be due to the presence of ghosts in haunted houses but to very low frequency sound that is inaudible to humans.

British scientists have shown in a controlled experiment that the extreme bass sound known as infrasound produces a range of bizarre effects in people including anxiety, extreme sorrow and chills -- supporting popular suggestions of a link between infrasound and strange sensations.

"Normally you can't hear it," Dr Richard Lord, an acoustic scientist at the National Physical Laboratory in England who worked on the project, said Monday.

Lord and his colleagues, who produced infrasound with a seven meter (yard) pipe and tested its impact on 750 people at a concert, said infrasound is also generated by natural phenomena.

"Some scientists have suggested that this level of sound may be present at some allegedly haunted sites and so cause people to have odd sensations that they attribute to a ghost -- our findings support these ideas," said Professor Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire in southern England.

In the first controlled experiment of infrasound, Lord and Wiseman played four contemporary pieces of live music, including some laced with infrasound, at a London concert hall and asked the audience to describe their reactions to the music.

The audience did not know which pieces included infrasound but 22 percent reported more unusual experiences when it was present in the music.

Their unusual experiences included feeling uneasy or sorrowful, getting chills down the spine or nervous feelings of revulsion or fear.

"These results suggest that low frequency sound can cause people to have unusual experiences even though they cannot consciously detect infrasound," said Wiseman, who presented his findings to the British Association science conference.

Infrasound is also produced by storms, seasonal winds and weather patterns and some types of earthquakes. Animals such as elephants also use infrasound to communicate over long distances or as weapons to repel foes.

"So much has been said about infrasound -- it's been associated with just about everything from beam weapons to bad driving. It's wonderful to be able to examine the evidence," said Sarah Angliss, a composer and engineer who worked on the project.

GakFace · 09-08-2003, 04:05 PM

Thats pretty neat and Intresting, but I also do not think it explains ALL of my chills.

Also, did they state how "haunted houses" have them? I don't recall seeing their explanation.

GoldenOuroboros · 09-08-2003, 04:29 PM

Yes I would like to know the explanation too.. I guess that when a breeze flows through a corridor it could possible create some sort of low frequency off a pipe or something... but it'd have to be an old house I reckon O_o

Johnny Rotten · 09-08-2003, 05:06 PM

That's an intriguing explanation that probably solves several mysteries, but until they can make this device produce visual and auditory hallucinations, I'll stay on the side of Wierd.

fuzzix · 09-10-2003, 06:16 AM

Ahh yes, interesting. I think it's quite possible that houses in industrial areas would have a higher chance of such a phenomenon, factories emit all sorts of strange sounds (anyone ever hear of the 7hz chicken head story? :P). Of course, the infrasound was demonstrated with a 7 meter pipe, there are all sorts of pipes in houses, plumbing etc, sewers underneath which could all be triggered by vibrations.

jujueye · 09-11-2003, 12:52 PM

After being connected with audio for a long time, this makes some sense. The human hearing range is rather small, and subsonic as well as supersonic or infrasonic audio doesn't affect us like sounds that are on our hearing range. Add some phasing anomalies to this, and it makes more sense. No, it doesnt explain temperature differences or visual items, but could easily give people that "weird" feeling. Either way, this is an interesting article. Thanks!

09-08-2003, 02:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
Antagony Psychopathic Akimbo Action Pirate Location: ...between Christ and Belial.	Infrasound linked with "hauntings" Article from Reuters --> link Soundless Music Shown to Produce Weird Sensations Sun September 7, 2003 07:09 PM ET By Patricia Reaney MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Mysteriously snuffed out candles, weird sensations and shivers down the spine may not be due to the presence of ghosts in haunted houses but to very low frequency sound that is inaudible to humans. British scientists have shown in a controlled experiment that the extreme bass sound known as infrasound produces a range of bizarre effects in people including anxiety, extreme sorrow and chills -- supporting popular suggestions of a link between infrasound and strange sensations. "Normally you can't hear it," Dr Richard Lord, an acoustic scientist at the National Physical Laboratory in England who worked on the project, said Monday. Lord and his colleagues, who produced infrasound with a seven meter (yard) pipe and tested its impact on 750 people at a concert, said infrasound is also generated by natural phenomena. "Some scientists have suggested that this level of sound may be present at some allegedly haunted sites and so cause people to have odd sensations that they attribute to a ghost -- our findings support these ideas," said Professor Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire in southern England. In the first controlled experiment of infrasound, Lord and Wiseman played four contemporary pieces of live music, including some laced with infrasound, at a London concert hall and asked the audience to describe their reactions to the music. The audience did not know which pieces included infrasound but 22 percent reported more unusual experiences when it was present in the music. Their unusual experiences included feeling uneasy or sorrowful, getting chills down the spine or nervous feelings of revulsion or fear. "These results suggest that low frequency sound can cause people to have unusual experiences even though they cannot consciously detect infrasound," said Wiseman, who presented his findings to the British Association science conference. Infrasound is also produced by storms, seasonal winds and weather patterns and some types of earthquakes. Animals such as elephants also use infrasound to communicate over long distances or as weapons to repel foes. "So much has been said about infrasound -- it's been associated with just about everything from beam weapons to bad driving. It's wonderful to be able to examine the evidence," said Sarah Angliss, a composer and engineer who worked on the project. __________________ On the outside I'm jazz, but my soul is rock and roll. Sleep is a waste of time. Join the Insomniac Club. "GYOH GWAH-DAH GREH BLAAA! SROH WIH DIH FLIH RYOHH!!" - The Locust

09-08-2003, 04:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
GakFace Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!! Location: IN, USA	Thats pretty neat and Intresting, but I also do not think it explains ALL of my chills. Also, did they state how "haunted houses" have them? I don't recall seeing their explanation. __________________ RoboBlaster: Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

09-08-2003, 04:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
GoldenOuroboros The Cheshire Grin... Location: An Aussie Outback	Yes I would like to know the explanation too.. I guess that when a breeze flows through a corridor it could possible create some sort of low frequency off a pipe or something... but it'd have to be an old house I reckon O_o __________________ Can you see me grin grin grrriiiiinnnning?!

09-08-2003, 05:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Johnny Rotten lost and found Location: Berkeley	That's an intriguing explanation that probably solves several mysteries, but until they can make this device produce visual and auditory hallucinations, I'll stay on the side of Wierd. __________________ "The idea that money doesn't buy you happiness is a lie put about by the rich, to stop the poor from killing them." -- Michael Caine

09-10-2003, 06:16 AM	#5 (permalink)
fuzzix Psycho Location: Australia	Ahh yes, interesting. I think it's quite possible that houses in industrial areas would have a higher chance of such a phenomenon, factories emit all sorts of strange sounds (anyone ever hear of the 7hz chicken head story? :P). Of course, the infrasound was demonstrated with a 7 meter pipe, there are all sorts of pipes in houses, plumbing etc, sewers underneath which could all be triggered by vibrations. __________________ I'm most definately not 'lovin' it'.

09-11-2003, 12:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
jujueye alpaca lunch for the trip Location: in my computer	After being connected with audio for a long time, this makes some sense. The human hearing range is rather small, and subsonic as well as supersonic or infrasonic audio doesn't affect us like sounds that are on our hearing range. Add some phasing anomalies to this, and it makes more sense. No, it doesnt explain temperature differences or visual items, but could easily give people that "weird" feeling. Either way, this is an interesting article. Thanks!