Study finds infrasound the likely horror in hauntings
A recent study suggests that infrasound, or sound waves below the range of human hearing, may contribute to feelings of unease often associated with hauntings. Conducted by researchers at MacEwan University, the study found that participants exposed to infrasound reported higher irritability and elevated cortisol levels, indicating stress. This research provides a scientific explanation for why certain environments, like old buildings, can evoke discomfort without any visible cause.
- ▪The study was published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
- ▪Participants exposed to infrasound reported higher irritability and lower interest in music.
- ▪Cortisol levels, a marker of stress, were elevated in those exposed to infrasound.
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| Canonical URL | https://boingboing.net/2026/04/28/study-finds-infrasound-the-likely-horror-in-hauntings.html |
| Publication time | Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:04:37 +0000 |
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Study finds infrasound the likely horror in hauntings Rob Beschizza 3:04 pm Tue Apr 28, 2026 Harold Ramis holding a Twinkie in 1984's Ghostbusters Noise below the range of human hearing from old pipes, machinery and ventilation systems can induce stressful sensations, according to a study published by Canadian researchers in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. The findings offer a compelling scientific explanation for why I feel ill-at-ease in the basement of the abandoned 19th-century sanitarium, built over an old cemetery, that I've been squatting in rural West Pennsylvania. It's not the faslely-accused murderer they executed without trial in 1844 here or the spirits of all those kids who died in that fire the one time; it's that 48" steel ventilation fan whirring away at 17Hz.
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