The Taos Hum

The Taos Hum is perhaps the most famous of the “Hum Phenomenon” that is experienced in various locations around the world.   In brief, a “hum” appears to be a low frequency sound with a rhythmic pulse to it. Many of the people that have claimed to hear or suffer from this humming have apparently claimed that it sounds like a “far away diesel engine”. It’s named after the town of Taos in New Mexico where it is claimed that it is quite common to hear it. In fact, it was so common that the good citizens and sufferers banded together in 1993 and petitioned the American Congress to investigate the source of this annoyance.

"Hearing the Hum in Taos, New Mexico."

1n 1997 Congress did direct a dozen or more scientists and researchers from some of the most recognized institutions in the country to investigate. One reason for this was the allegation that the Taos Hum was possibly the result of military activity – covert or otherwise.  A side effect of this allegation was that the inquiry was conducted openly and involved a large number of people. Two key organizations were also involved namely the Phillips Air Force Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (those fine people that brought you the Atom Bomb). Apparently a Mr. Joe Mullins of the University of New Mexico and Mr. Horace Poteet of Sandia National Laboratories wrote the team's final report. “According to the August 23, 1993 "Taos Hum Investigation: Informal Report", most hearers initially experienced the hum with an "abrupt beginning, as if some device were switched on." Many of the hearers believed there was a connection between the hum, the military installations in and around New Mexico, and the Department of Defense or that the hum was somehow caused by the U. S. Navy's ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) stations in Northern Michigan. These suspicions made a civilian presence on the investigation team necessary.” (Source: Thomas Begich / Staff Writer Earthpulse.com) The research team first made contact with ten professed “hearers” and made efforts to understand the experiential nature of the Taos Hum. Their consistent initial findings were as follows: It often had an abrupt beginning. It was always a low barely audible sound There was always a fluctuation in the pulse One of the initial findings of the team was that the Taos Hum was not only an annoyance, its hearers also claimed it produced very unwanted side effects such as dizziness, insomnia or sleep disturbance, disorientation, pressure on the ears, headaches, loss of sex-drive and nosebleeds.  Most importantly, its very existence seemed to disturb their psychological equilibrium.  Many felt “singled out” by a phenomenon that was clearly “unnatural”. The stated purpose of the team was to … Determine the nature of the Taos Hum, its’ likely frequency, pulse rate and the impact that it was having on people that heard it. Undertake a survey of those that claimed to hear it and those that did not and then to create a statistical analysis of the depth and spread of the phenomenon. (In short, how widespread and “real” was the Taos Hum?” Determine and isolate the source of the Taos Hum. Once the team had come together (now including James Kelly a hearing research scientist with the University of New Mexico's Health Sciences Center) it is understood that a fairly significant (quantitive) sample of the Taos population was interviewed – 1,440 is the figure recorded.  Using the technique of extrapolation, they concluded that statistically 2% of the population of Taos were persistent sufferers or had heard the Taos Hum at some time. Given this large number of hearers, initial exploration of a source for the hum focused on external possibilities for generation of the low frequency hum. While there were isolated instances of hearing within the low frequency range identified by hearers, these tests revealed no consistent background noise which could account for the hum. As Mullins and Kelly concluded, there were "no known acoustic signals that might account for the neither hum nor are there any seismic events that might explain it."     Radar Tacking - General Example The Taos Hum ... It can drive you insane Increasing background electronic noise The effect of being able to hear this hum can vary from being a mild irritation to a life disabling condition.  Its effect is therefore very much like tinnitus - a persistent ringing in the ears that is a recognized medical complaint.  “Hearers” of the “Hum” have been known to move halfway around the world to get away from it – something that travel can’t do to help tinnitus.   These are the basic “facts” about the “Taos Hum” that we’ve been able to find … It is not isolated to Taos, New Mexico. It appears that “the hum” can be heard by certain people in almost every location around the world.  However, not all “Hum Hearers” can detect it in the different locations. It is more common in North America, the United Kingdom and Europe. It may be caused by the faint possibility that the human skin in certain people can detect sound. (Flanagan) There may be a link between the Taos Hum (as well as other hums) and the military communication technology known as ELF (Extremely Low Frequency). The gradual build up of radio frequency communications may be affecting an ever increasing number of potentially susceptible individuals. Earplugs do not seem to reduce the hum.  Some “hearers” claim that it actually makes it worse. This may be due to the low frequency nature of the phenomenon. Taos Hum Hearers are starting to create support groups around the world. Infrasound has been studied as a potential weapon and produces symptoms remarkably similar to those experienced by hum sufferers. (The Sonic Weapon of Vladimir Gavreau, by Gerry Vassilatos) The hum may be the ultra low frequency RF signal generated by the molten core of the planet. The signal may be a form of audible magnetism. What's peculiar about the notes in the Taos Hum is that they have no obvious source. Not earthquakes, not nuclear explosions, nothing. The vibrations triggered by cataclysmic events fade away to nothing, but the Hum continues, regardless. It may well be the echo of undetected seismic activity. "A Denver audiologist said that she had recorded a steady vibration of 17 cycles per second with a harmonic rising to 70 cycles per second near Taos. The low range of human hearing is 20 to 30 cycles per second." Massey University professors Tom Moir and Fakhrul Alam from New Zealand have begun their research on "Unidentified Acoustic Phenomena". There may be no “Taos Hum” at all and the phenomenon is explained by an as yet unidentified but reasonably widespread medical complaint. We admit that this is not the most exiting of mysteries.  Still, if there really is a sub-audible worldwide humming then humankind should figure out what is causing it.  Who knows -It might be dangerous. Some of the more bizarre theories include: The Taos Hum is alien communication signals and something to do with the Roswell incident. The Taos Hum is a sound generated by the movement (alignment) of the planets. The Taos Hum is the inter-solar echo of sunspots. The Taos Hum is caused by lost spirits trying to get through to the other side. The Taos Hum is the communication of living rock.