If you listen closely, you’ll find that the earth is full of sounds. Some are things that you hear every day, some are truly remarkable and some sounds hail from origins completely unknown. What follows here is a list of “sonic mysteries” for your pleasure – many of them include audio.
1. The Bloop
At various times during the summer of 1997, an ultra-low frequency sound that rose rapidly in frequency over about one minute was detected at 50 degrees S, 100 degrees W. The sound was detected by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with the Equatorial Pacific Ocean autonomous hydrophone array (which was U.S. Navy equipment originally designed to detect Soviet submarines), and was loud enough to be heard on multiple sensors, up to 5000km apart.
Scientists dubbed it the “Bloop” (not to be confused with the “Boing”.)
Although the sound matches the profile of a living animal, it is much louder than any known creature can produce. Any creature that could produce such a sound would have to be many times larger than the largest whale.
You can hear a very short recording of the bloop sound here. The recording is short because it’s been sped up 16x to make it audible to you and I.
Some people link the Bloop to Cthulhu, a mythical creature from an H.P. Lovecraft story as the noise originated from an area near the mythical sunken city of R’lyeh from the same story.
The Bloop also makes an appearance in the game promoting the movie Cloverfield, and was also seen in the movie “The Loch”, coming from a giant eel.
A 2001 album by Dntel (“Life is full of possibilities”) uses the bloop as a repeating sample through the piece.
The actual origination of the sound is not known and remains a mystery to this day although it is suspected to be biological in origin.
2. The Hum
The hum is the name of a phenomenon that is generally given to mysterious low frequency humming or rumbling. It is typically heard by many people at a time (but not others), and can come and go or it can be constant. There are many famous Hums, most notably the Taos Hum and the Bristol Hum.
The Hum is usually difficult to record, and it’s often difficult to localize the source of the hum (perhaps due to the low frequency, as low frequency sounds are harder to localize).
Hums have been detected (or reported) all over the world, but most appear in Europe and South America. The Hum is more often heard indoors, and some people hear it more faintly than others. Here is a recording of the Auckland Hum (UPDATE: file no longer available).
The Taos Hum has been featured on the X-Files and Unsolved Mysteries. The source of some Hums have been identified – for example, a pair of fans in a cooling tower at a DaimlerChrysler casting plant was emitting a 36 Hz tone that caused a Hum over the entire city of Kokomo, Indiana. Other Hums remain a mystery. Some possible explanations Include geological events, pulsed microwaves and electromagnetic waves from meteors. Tinnitus might explain some cases as well.
A creditable scientific hypothesis from 2005 suggests the Hum is caused by the tensor tympani muscle (a muscle in the inner ear) trembling in the eardrums of individuals. on the eardrums of affected individuals by the tensor tympani muscle trembling. There is a website by the “Interest Group for Research of the Hum Nuisance” (unfortunately in German) describing this theory.
3.The Hell Hole
You can decide for yourself on this one. More than forty years ago, researchers in the Soviet Union began an ambitious drilling project whose goal was to penetrate the Earth’s upper crust and sample the warm, mysterious area where the crust and mantle intermingle the Mohorovic discontinuity, or “Moho.”
This type of drilling was completely new and the technology didn’t exist to go that deep, so the Russians had to invent a completely new way of drilling to be able to do it. Unfortunately, the Russians never reached their goal, and many of the Earth’s secrets were left undiscovered, however The Kola Superdeep Borehole is still a scientifically useful site, and research there is ongoing.
When drilling stopped in 1994, the hole was over seven miles deep, making it by far the deepest hole ever drilled by humans. The last of the cores to be plucked from from the borehole was dated to be about 2.7 billion years old. Although the Kona hole was the deepest hole ever drilled, seven miles was still very short of the 20-80 km required to penetrate the earth’s crust.
Like all newfangled science stories, some Genesis freaks have decided that the intent of the project was not real scientific research as they were told – rather this simple experiment was actually an attempt to drill to hell – and that they were successful! The story has, and still does, made its rounds on Christian circles via tracts, preaching and radio broadcasts.
The story varies, but here are the basics:
- 1. After going only a few miles down, the drill began to spin wildly.
- 2. A Doctor Azzacov is quoted as stating authoritatively that it has been shown that the earth is hollow.
- 3. Immensely high temperatures were experienced, much higher than expected at that depth. Usually 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit or 1,100 degrees Celsius is quoted.
- 4. Microphones were lowered into the hole (to listen to the earth’s movement). Human screams were heard hordes of tortured souls.
- 5. Many of the scientists have quit the project in fear and/or have become total nervous wrecks.
Of course, these “facts” are not quite true:
- a) If the earth was largely hollow, it would clearly be evident from seismic studies, as well as from orbital/gravitational considerations, but this is not the case.
- b) Far from being a fiery inferno, the temperature increased by one degree Celsius every 100 meters to 3,000 meters, then by 2.5 degrees every 100 meters thereafter. At 10,000 meters, it was only 180 degrees.
The story of course is based on a factual borehole, and creation geologists have had a field day with the shaky “facts” – using the story to prove that yes, hell exists and they’ve been right all along.
Here’s the “quote” that has been making it’s way through evangelical circles:
We lowered a microphone, designed to detect the sounds of plate movements down the shaft. But instead of plate movements we heard a human voice screaming in pain! At first we thought the sound was coming from our own equipment.
But when we made adjustments our worst suspicions were confirmed. The screams weren’t those of a single human, they were the screams of millions of humans!
Oh, you wanted to HEAR the screams from hell? But of course! Listen to it here:
[audio:http://www.noiseaddicts.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/hellscreams.mp3|titles=sounds]4. Mistpouffers
In some places in the world, people have reported long successions of enormously loud booming noises. They are called different things in different areas of the world – Guns of the Seneca (near Seneca Lake in New York), Barisal guns (in Bangladesh), uminari (in Japan), fog guns, lake guns, and many other terms. These terms all describe a sound or sounds that resemble distant cannon fire, and are usually heard near large bodies of water. Often times they are accompanied by a long rumble that is strong enough to shake plates and pictures.
There have been many proposed theories about where these sounds come from, however most are not very satisfying. Since these sounds have been reported for centuries means that the most obvious explanation, artillery tests, are pretty much ruled out. Earthquakes and volcanoes could produce these sounds and rumbles, however the sounds have not been directly connected to any seismic activity, which is fairly well measured.
Some have speculated that undersea activity (perhaps seismic) creates great bubbles of released gas which floats to the surface and creates huge “ocean farts”, however it is a stretch to think that these bubbles could produce a sound strong enough to create the distant-gunfire sound of Mistpouffers. Meteorite impacts have also been bandied about as a possible explanation (see here for actual meteor sounds) as have tidal waves.
It has also been speculated that these noises happen everywhere and that ambient noise from communities simply make them harder to hear. Sound travels farther over water than over land, and so the sounds are more easily heard in remote, quiet areas close to bodies of water.
Of course the latest theory is rather boring – that the sounds are made by thunder or other explosions very far away, and the sounds simply travels a very, very long way because atmospheric and topographic conditions happen to be “just so”. This would explain why no storms or other activity are present in the area and yet the sounds are still heard.
Some people still believe that the sounds are made from alien spacecraft, God, or Thor’s hammer banging on nails while trying to fix the roof over the heavens. However there is another theory:
A Web page describing the many tourist attractions of the Cayuga Lake area mentions the Guns of the Seneca it also says. At the southern end, you’ll find the booming city of Ithacaa Well, that it. What people are hearing is obviously the sound of Ithaca booming.
5. Slow Down
Slow down was recorded in the Pacific Ocean on May 19,1997. It was recorded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration located around 15 degrees S 115, degrees W.
It is called the Slow Down because the sound slowly decreases in frequency over the span of about 7 minutes. It was detected using the same hydrophone array as the Bloop, and was loud enough to be detected on multiple sensors 2000km apart.
Here is a recording of the sound, sped up by 16 times. Source: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/acoustics/sounds/noise97139.wav
Some people believe that this sound has been made by a giant squid or other large sea creature, however this theory doesn’t stand up to scientific reason, as squids likely not have the capability of producing these sounds.
The real source of the Slow Down sound remains completely unknown. This signal and anything like it has not been heard before or since.
6. The WOW!
No discussion of mysterious sounds would be complete without this one, although it’s not a sound from earth – it’s from space. You can also debate whether or not it’s actually technically a sound at all, but I’m presenting it here just because it’s interesting.
On August 15, 1977 a SETI scientist working at the Big Ear radio telescope of the Ohio State University noticed a very strong signal that lasted for 72 seconds. The type of signal resembled signals that are non-terrestrial and non-solar system in origin.
Because the signal was so remarkable, The scientists circled the data on the computer printout and wrote the word “WOW!” beside it. Ever since then, it’s been called the “Wow!” signal.
Since the signal was discovered, scientists from all over have tried to locate it again, however it has never been seen since.
It has been theorized by some people that the signal may have come from extraterrestrial life, however others remain skeptical.
More information on the Wow can be found here by the person who discovered it.
So that’s it for earth sounds.
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i actually listening right now to this “humming sounds” at exactly 12.10 am philippines time this january 29, 2012..
Hahah hearing some strange sounds up here in fortsmith nwt freaky
@Bill….I think you may be right on with your theory. As the magnetic poles rearrange themselves (which has already begun) many strange sounds will be heard. Magnets and electricity both make noises, but on a planetary scale they would be audible to large areas. Other than the religious theory this one makes the most sense.
Hi, Im just wondering, These sounds that “everyone” is posting about and putting on youtube. Do you think its a Prank ? Like im not into the whole 2012 thing But i kind of find it ironic that it happens now ? I dont know if it’s real or not and I tried listening to the clips but i could’nt hear anything. Does this relate to any of the natural disasters going on these few past months?
Sounds of a pole shift.
The earth is under the strain of a reversing core. I believe it is now tilting and the crust is giving resistance. As material passes through a speed and range of vibration it can create many sounds from sonic booms to the sounds of music. It will happen much more when we start to slow more before the pole shift. It is not a good sign.
The world will stop soon and reverse direction.
I hope I am wrong.
what exactly would happen if a pole shift did occur?
it would cause massive climate change and disaster, and it could be worse…
if you heard the sound carefully, it said “Allahu Akbar” at first i don’t believe myself, but after repeat this sound for several times, i’m sure this is it..
It’s because you’re brainwashed with your religious [removed].
i dont think it fake esp the hell thing and the creature sound like bloop or the hum or whatever u call it . In our rligion it is known as dajjal,or yajuj and ma’juj if i dont mistaken(it either two bcause they are both creature) it is said in our holybook the presence of this creature..hell does exist . But it all up to u whether to blieve it or not.im just telling,i didnt mean any harm . No hard feeling .Peace
Re: the Hell sounds: The audio recording of the screams was actually taken from the 1972 horror film “Baron Blood,” starring Joseph Cotten.
Share and enjoy!
i cant hear the hell sound cuz it continues loadin for ella lond 🙁
The Hellhole…..maybe, and maybe not. I’m not totally dismissing it.
I have unusual experiences myself. Who’s to really say, one way or another? It has given me something to think about, thats for sure.
Diane
The hell sounds are obviously faked. For one thing, if you actually read and understand your bible (something most “christian” evangelicals do not) the word “Hell” is found NO WHERE in the actual bible. The words translated into “Hell” in the King James Version were translated from the Greek word “Sheol” as well as words like “Gehenna” (and I may be spelling that wrong) and “Tartaru” (again, not sure on my spelling). The word “Sheol” when properly translated simply means “the grave”. If you read the NIV version I believe the translators are too scared to accurately translate it so they actually leave “sheol” untranslated because they know the implications. The word “Gehenna” was an actual place, it was a dumpsite outside of Jerusalem where garbage and the dead bodies of executed criminals were burned. And “Tartaru” was only ever used onces, and it means “a place of restraint” and it referred to a place demons were restrained during the great flood of Noah. NO WHERE will you find the actual word Hell or any mention of a place like it in the bible. So that sound from “hell” was obviously faked.
The sound from the ocean is fascinating. I recently watched a documentary on it where scientists made use of the military’s SOSUS microphones used to detect Submarines during the cold war to listen to biological life and that is what they heard. It was so loud I guess (180db!!!) that it could be heard over 7000 KM away, that’s one loud noise not to know what it is! (the loud groaning sound you posted)
The hell hole sounds kinda remind me of FF7. The earth is in pain from all of the devastation(war, pollution, and the giant needle they stuck it with).
On a real note tho. It sounds like an old hitler convention which they have tweaked or sped up.
the hell soundclip sounds like..well, any busy place with loud people. a subway station, airport, or sporting event, for example. i’m not impressed.
can someone send me more of hell screaming from kola superdeep borehole ….send me through this email plz
[edited] …i really apreciate it….i wana make more studies on it
i like your collection its a great contribution in field of sciences
thanks
saba
pakistan
i like u,s collection about the horrible voice from earth but actually my computer frezz this website and i can,t listen the voice of russian experiment of hell hole but how ever its nice collection and a gerat contribution of u in a field of science.
thanks
from saba
pakistan
Right, I don’t know where they’d get 7 miles of XLR cable, lol, maximum length of XLR runs are 300 ft. although some live sound guys say they run them 1000 ft., would be impossible for them to lower a mic very far down that hole, signal loss being the big issue.
Besides the story says the sound guys at the “hole” thought it was equipment noise at first, it clearly doesn’t sound like any equipment, short, or grounding noise at all, I mean they wouldn’t be running around trying to track down equipment noise, R.F.I., E.M.I., or shared path coupling issues when it obviously doesn’t sound anything like those.
The thing that gets me about the hell hole one is that if it was 2000 degrees, how did they get the mic down there without it melting? Because putting it down 20 ft isn’t going to let you her something another 7 miles down.
Geat article, i like this. tks a lot
Are the bloop and slow down sounds available somewhere not in 16x?
I slowed it down to the original… it sounds like nothing….I mean just basic background noices in different pitches, but nothing interesting at all… only sounds interesting when sped up…
Here’s another hum, sometimes attributed to FISH!
http://www.science-frontiers.com/sf042/sf042p20.htm
Yeah, I wondered about a link with the Bloop and the Slow Down. It’s odd that two unidentifible noises would come during the same year…Cthulhu, are you calling?
“The Bloop” & “The Slow Down” were recorded by the same hydrophone, around the same time. i can’t help but think that they are somehow related. Heard only once & never again? Myabe i’ve seen “The Abyss” too many times, but i want to say that there is something down there. ;0)
“Sounds From Hell” were interesting, but clearly faked.
Also, i hear a kind of “white noise” all the time. But nothing i could classify as “The Hum”. That would drive me nuts!
6EQUJ5 wrote: “Jack V: Go to your nearest Wal-Mart and have them process your refund.”
Sorry- didn’t quite get that. Something over my head?
The sounds from hell is definitely a hoax: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Well_to_Hell_hoax
nice article (though maybe you should proof read it). i hear strange noises from some of the livestock round here at night. goats are the worst, they make some truly scary sounds at night!
i hear a mysterious sound in my penthouse apartment, like someone holding down a note on an organ all night long. I wake up with a headache each morning. Will one of those Bose sound neutralizers help ? It would be uncomfortable to sleep wearing one, but better than this incessant tone, which by moring, seems to be in the center of my head.
@ Fred:
If it’s the same pitch and roughly the same volume every night, you could try cancelling it through phase inversion.
What you’d need to do is record the sound, then invert the phase (flip it round), and play that version at the same time. If it is an exact opposite it will cancel out the original version, leaving silence.
A rough opposite will still leave it quieter than it was otherwise, and you could wear earplugs or something for the rest.
My observations . . .
Jack V: Go to your nearest Wal-Mart and have them process your refund.
The Hell Hole sound was obviously a layered recording with easily detectable loops.
I hear dead people . . .
comment number 23, i hear a high pitched sound emitting all around me
i hear high pitch electronic devises such as light bulbs and electrical wires
Classic – in the Hell recording there are meant to be milions of souls screaming, but there’s one woman who continuously pops up as way louder than everyone else – I wonder what she did??
the links work for me ( and if that is a real sound then that is creapy)
Umm the links don’t work anymore? and i so wanted to hear the ‘screams from hell’ too 🙁
the hell hole one is total bullshit…like people have said it could’ve been recorded at a concert or something…still badass tho lmao
Hell apparently sounds like the crowd at a rock concert between sets. I can see how that might startle the simpler folk.
Kiteman, are you a geologist, seismologist, or oceanographer? Do you ACTUALLY think scientists would logically jump to the “bigass creature” theory without considering the more mundane and likely options first? Come on.
I don’t think anyone is claiming that it’s real. I think it’s pretty obvious that it’s not true.
LOL! Hello Hole… That’s a different web site altogether…
Look up the Hello Hole on Snopes.
http://www.snopes.com/religion/wellhell.asp
It’s a fake. You can’t believe everything you hear.
Peace.
Good article.
Ive got to say though, if thats the sound of hell.. Well, I would say that hell sounds an awful lot like a community pool. Which i suppose makes sense.
Wasnt all that threatening at least.
you should do one on the tate modern in london. sounds like a massive electrical hum still nobody can figure out why. it’s been attributed to the fact that it was a power plant at one point.
I was fully expecting the “hell” sounds to end up as a rickroll. That would have been far more scary. Good article.
That bloop only sounds vaguely biological, and only because it’s sped up.
There is no such thing as the profile of an an animal sound.
Check a map, that area is deep ocean, frequented by icebergs, not far from the edge of a tectonic plate.
My guess is a slow shift of a magma bubble, an undersea mudslide, or just several thousand tonnes of ice doing a belly-flop.
this dude wrote: “btw it says that the wow sound was never seen again. maybe what you meant to type was it was never heard again.”
No; he got it right. It was never heard in the first place, as it was a radio signal, not a sound. But the detection was presented visually, on paper (see the image), so it was seen.
totally awesome sounds. the hell one scared the crap out of my girlfriend. btw it says that the ‘wow’ sound was never ‘seen’ again. maybe what you meant to type was it was never ‘heard’ again.
>wasnt the hell sound an april fools joke?
that’s easy for you to say, Lucifer!
wasnt the hell sound an april fools joke?
The article is titles “Strange and mysterious sounds from the earth,” and while you acknowledge that the Wow! signal isn’t from earth, you still misrepresent it as a sound.
really cool stuff. i loved listening to the samples. thanks!
Amazing and, may I say, beautiful. Thank you for sharing all of this. I’m giddy over hearing these mysterious sounds!