Canadian study suggests infrasound may explain creepy or haunted feelings
A Canadian study suggests that infrasound (sound waves too low for humans to hear) might explain why some places feel creepy or haunted.
When 18 of the 36 volunteers were exposed to 18-hertz frequencies, their stress hormone (cortisol) levels rose.
Study author Rodney Schmaltz noted that while infrasound won't make you see ghosts, it can cause real discomfort people might blame on the paranormal.
Inaudible infrasound shifted participants' moods
Participants said their moods shifted after exposure, even though they couldn't actually hear the sound.
Both relaxing and creepy music played during tests were described as sadder.
This lines up with earlier research showing infrasound can make environments feel weird or unsettling, like what concertgoers reported back in a 2002 London study.
Researchers to test haunted locations' infrasound
Researchers now want to check if so-called haunted locations really have higher levels of infrasound compared to regular buildings.
If they do, science could finally have an answer for those mysterious vibes we sometimes get.