The Quietest Room on Earth
In a room so quiet it swallows almost all sound, visitors hear their own heartbeat, and stories say few can bear it in the dark.
What was reported
The anechoic chamber at Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis was certified by Guinness World Records as the quietest place on Earth, at below zero decibels. Its walls, floor and ceiling are lined with deep wedges of fibreglass that absorb almost every sound.
Visitors report hearing their own heartbeat, breathing, joints creaking and a ringing in their ears. A story spread that no one could stay inside in the dark for more than 45 minutes.
Explanations offered
Without echoes or background noise, the brain turns up its sensitivity and notices internal sounds it normally filters out, and with no sound to orient by, some people feel unsteady. Plenty of people have stayed far longer than 45 minutes; the legend grew in the retelling. Microsoft later built an even quieter room.
- When
- A record from the 2000s
- Where
- Orfield Laboratories, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Witnesses
- Visitors who try to sit in the dark
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.