Taos Hum Mystery: Unveiling the Acoustic Phenomenon That Has Plagued New Mexico

Amidst the attractive adobe buildings in New Mexico, strange noises have been puzzling residents since the early 1990s. What is this auditory enigma known as the Taos Hum?

Unexplained Noises

Taos is a small town in north-central New Mexico, home to a World Heritage Site, the Taos Pueblo. Although it might not seem different from any other quiet American town, this community is not so subtle. Some residents and tourists have reported hearing a constant low-frequency buzzing or rumbling noise called the Taos Hum.

Some describe the Taos Hum as a feeling of vibration, while others describe it as a faint droning sound similar to a diesel engine resting in the distance. The Taos Hum is a miserable noise for those who can hear it since it never stops and interferes with their sleep. The worst part is that it is even more noticeable at night and indoors. Attempts to block it out by covering one's ear are ineffective since it can only bring unpleasant side effects like nausea, headache, fatigue, and diarrhea.

The mysterious sound became so bothersome that in 1993, Taos residents voiced their concern about it to Congress. A study was conducted to examine its cause, including interviews with the local residents and using sound detection instruments placed around the town. This phenomenon was discussed in a 2008 document for the International Congress On Noise As A Public Health Problem.

It was discovered that only about 2% of Taos residents can hear the hum. Most affected residents can replicate the sounds they hear, but no such signals were detected. No source of the hum was ever identified.

Possible Causes of Taos Hum

Although the source of the Taos Hum remains unknown, a few interesting angles are linked to it. In the study conducted by the local government, the only unusual activity observed by the experts was elevated levels of electromagnetic fields, but this was determined to be the result of local power lines. However, a 2019 study titled "Transduction of the Geomagnetic Field as Evidenced from alpha-Band Activity in the Human Brain" suggests that the human brain may be sensitive to magnetic fields like dogs, pigeons, and turtles. Moreover, the ability of living cells to sense magnetic fields was verified for the first time in 2021, although there is nothing yet to suggest that this can materialize as a hum.

A more tangible hypothesis relates the phenomenon to the function of the inner ear. According to a study published in 2016, hearers of the Taos Hum can be divided into several categories. Hum types include humming transformers, chugging boats, propeller planes, and idling trucks. Meanwhile, hum location can be categorized into one ear, both ears, alternating ears, or in the head. The affected residents also report that the sound and location change when they fly long distances or move their heads a certain way.

Industrial equipment is also a suspected source of the hum, just like the case in Bristol and Kokomo. Other possible reasons include wireless communication devices, electrical power, and high-pressure gas lines. Some also consider environmental factors, including seismic activity such as microseisms. These are very faint, low-frequency tremors that ocean waves can trigger.