Hey there! Have you ever noticed how noisy the world around us is? It seems like everything is getting louder, and that can be a bit overwhelming. I’m Julia, and today we’re diving into the fascinating world of sound, especially those sounds we can’t even hear!
We all know that loud noises can damage our hearing, but did you know they can also affect our health in other ways? Studies have shown that being around loud sounds can lead to anxiety, stress, and even higher blood pressure. And that’s just the noise we can hear!
There’s a whole range of sounds called infrasound that are below 20 hertz, which means they’re too low for us to hear. Some animals, like elephants, use these low sounds to communicate. But infrasound isn’t just natural; it can also come from things like loudspeakers and industrial machines. Even though we can’t hear it, infrasound can still impact our health.
A study in the journal Indoor and Built Environment found that infrasound might be linked to “sick-building syndrome.” This is when people in offices feel sick with symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and headaches without a clear reason. The study suggests that infrasound around 7 Hz could be the culprit.
Unfortunately, infrasound isn’t well regulated. A report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A questions what “safe” sound levels are in workplaces. It turns out that exposure to infrasound and ultrasound often exceeds current guidelines, which might be outdated. These guidelines were based on old research and small groups of people, so more research is needed to understand the full impact of infrasound.
Some researchers think infrasound might be responsible for that eerie “haunted house” feeling. A study found that a sound wave at 18.9 hertz could cause spooky sensations. In one experiment, people reported seeing things out of the corner of their eyes and feeling uneasy. When they turned off the source of the infrasound, the uneasy feeling went away.
In another experiment, British scientists played music with infrasound in a large auditorium. Some people in the audience felt uneasy, got chills, or even felt scared. It’s not magic—it’s science!
But don’t worry, not all sound waves are spooky! Sound waves can do amazing things, and scientists are finding ways to use them in exciting new ways. So, next time you feel a bit uneasy, maybe it’s just some infrasound playing tricks on you!
Have you ever felt that eerie feeling or felt unwell in a place for no reason? Do you think it could have been infrasound? Share your stories and thoughts!
Explore your surroundings and create a list of different sounds you hear throughout the day. Categorize them into natural and man-made sounds. Reflect on how these sounds make you feel and discuss with your classmates how different sound levels impact your mood and health.
Conduct a simple experiment to demonstrate the concept of infrasound. Use a speaker and a frequency generator app to play low-frequency sounds. Observe any physical sensations or changes in mood, and discuss how infrasound might affect people in real-life scenarios.
Create an art project that visually represents sound waves. Use materials like string, paint, or digital tools to illustrate how sound waves travel and interact with the environment. Share your artwork with the class and explain the science behind your design.
Participate in a classroom debate on whether infrasound should be more strictly regulated. Research current guidelines and present arguments for and against increased regulation. Consider the impact on industries, health, and everyday life.
Create a playlist of music that evokes different emotions. Analyze how different sound frequencies and volumes contribute to feelings of happiness, sadness, or eeriness. Share your playlist with the class and discuss the science behind how sound influences emotions.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Shhh, do you hear that? Yeah, I don’t either… but it’s making me feel a bit uneasy. Hey guys, Julia here for DNews. The world is loud and noisy, and it seems to be getting noisier. Exposure to loud noises can cause hearing damage, but some studies, like one published in the British Medical Bulletin, show that it can cause a range of health effects, such as anxiety and stress. Another study indicated it may even raise blood pressure. And that’s just the sounds we can hear.
There’s a whole world of sound below our range of hearing that can also be damaging. Infrasound typically describes sound below 20 hertz. Usually, it’s too low for humans to detect, yet some animals communicate in this range. For example, elephants vocalize in a low rumble that we can’t hear. However, infrasound can also be artificial: loudspeakers, public address systems, and industrial machinery can produce sounds that are too low in frequency for humans to hear, but can still affect our health.
A study published in the journal Indoor and Built Environment found that infrasound could contribute to a condition known as “sick-building syndrome,” where office workers report symptoms like nausea, dizziness, migraines, fatigue, and tinnitus without a clear cause. This study suggests that infrasound, typically around 7 Hz, might be responsible.
Unfortunately, infrasound isn’t well regulated. A recent report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A questions what constitutes “safe” sound levels in a working environment. The report suggests that workplace exposure to both infrasound and ultrasound often exceeds current guidelines, which may be outdated and based on research that is 40 years old. Even then, the evidence for these guidelines isn’t strong; they are based on the average response of small groups, often of adult males. Researchers back then didn’t reach strong conclusions, just preliminary guidelines, believing that more research would follow. However, not much has changed in the ensuing decades.
So, the lead author is essentially saying… “more research is needed.” There is evidence that infrasound can cause more than just headaches. Some researchers believe it might be responsible for that eerie “haunted house feeling.” One paper published in the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research suggests that a standing sound wave of specifically 18.9 hertz is responsible for some spooky occurrences in their lab. Researchers at Coventry University reported seeing moving objects out of the corners of their eyes, feeling uneasy, and experiencing discomfort while in the lab. They discovered that an extractor fan was creating a standing wave at 18.9 hertz. When they turned off the fan, one of the authors described the relief as “if a huge weight was lifted.”
Researchers have tested this on a larger audience. British scientists played music in a large auditorium and included infrasound in some of the songs. Some audience members reported feeling “uneasy or sorrowful, getting chills down their spine, or nervous feelings of revulsion or fear” when the songs contained infrasound. Spooky, right? No, it’s science!
But don’t be too concerned about sound waves just yet. Not all of them are unsettling! In fact, sound waves can do some pretty amazing things. To learn more about how scientists are harnessing the power of sound, check out this episode right here.
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So, have you ever experienced that eerie feeling? Or felt unwell in your office or school for no apparent reason? Do you think it was infrasound? Share your stories down below!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Sound – Vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person’s or animal’s ear. – The sound of the bell ringing signaled the end of the science experiment.
Health – The state of being free from illness or injury. – Regular exercise and a balanced diet are important for maintaining good health.
Infrasound – Sound waves with frequencies below the lower limit of human audibility. – Scientists use infrasound to study natural phenomena like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
Noise – Unwanted or disruptive sound that can interfere with normal activities. – The noise from the construction site made it difficult to concentrate during the biology lecture.
Anxiety – A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. – The student felt anxiety before presenting her research project on climate change.
Pressure – The force exerted on a surface per unit area. – In physics class, we learned how atmospheric pressure affects weather patterns.
Research – The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions. – The students conducted research on renewable energy sources for their science fair project.
Waves – Disturbances that transfer energy from one place to another, often through a medium like air or water. – Ocean waves are caused by the wind transferring energy to the water’s surface.
Symptoms – Physical or mental features that indicate a condition or disease. – Fever and sore throat are common symptoms of the flu.
Communication – The process of exchanging information or expressing thoughts and feelings. – Effective communication is essential for teamwork in scientific research.
