The Mind Creative OCT 2013
SUGGESTED EXPLANATIONS
Tinnitus, a disturbance of
the auditory system, has
been used to explain the
Hum. However, this does
not explain as to why the
Hum can be heard only at
certain geographical
locations. Those who
suffer both from tinnitus
and hear the Hum,
describe them as
qualitatively different and
many hum sufferers can
find locations where they
do not hear the hum at all.
Colliding ocean waves
Researchers from the
USArray Earthscope have
tracked down a series
of infrasonic humming
noises produced by waves
crashing together and
thence into the ocean floor,
off the North-West coast of
the USA. Potentially, sound
from these collisions could
travel to many parts of the
globe.
Spontaneous Otoacoustic
Emissions This term refers to
the condition where the ear
generates its own noises.
Recordings of sounds that
appear to be the Hum, such as
that made in Auckland, would
indicate that this suggested
explanation cannot explain all
occurrences of the Hum.
Mechanical devices In the
case of Kokomo, Indiana, a city
with heavy industries, the origin
of the hum was thought to have
been traced to two mechanical
sources. After those devices
were corrected, the hum still
persisted.
Geoff Leventhall, the
eminent acoustics expert, has
recommended that some
hearers should turn to
cognitive-behavioural therapy
to relieve the symptoms caused
by the Hum. He is however, not
confident that this intriguing
phenomenon, that has been a
mystery for 40 years, will be
solved anytime soon.
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