This Strange Phenomenon In New Mexico Is Too Weird For Words

When you mention Taos, most people think of outdoor activities like skiing, the artists attracted to this Northern New Mexico town, or the beauty of its setting. But Taos has also been associated with a strange phenomenon: the Taos hum.

Since the early 1990s, some residents have complained about hearing a persistent and irritating noise. It was so disruptive that the affected group, who are termed “hearers,” urged politicians to launch an investigation.

Flickr/Christopher Rose

It consisted of Joe Mullins from the University of New Mexico, Rod Whitaker from Los Alamos National Laboratory, Mark Leher from Phillips Air Force Laboratory, Horace Poteet from Sandia National Laboratories, and finally James Kelly, who specialized in hearing research. All in all, a pretty qualified bunch.

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Flickr/Dave Hensley

About 2% of population in Taos can hear the hum.

The sound is most noticeable to hearers between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m., and most people plagued by this phenomenon hear the noise at least once a week.

Interestingly, 19% of hearers can still detect the hum when more than 50 miles away from Taos.

That being said, equipment such as microphones and VLF antennae are unable to pick up the sound.

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Flickr/MondoPhoto

Is the noise due to military frequencies, magma moving under the surface of the Earth, tinnitus, or something else?

The research team thought the hum was unlikely to be caused by tinnitus. But, beyond that, they were stumped.

A hearer describes his experience in the following video.

Play the video below to experience the Taos hum. Can you hear it? What do you think is responsible for this mysterious noise?