The Taos Hum
In a quiet desert town, some people hear a low drone at night that their neighbours can't hear at all.
What was reported
In the early 1990s, residents of Taos and the surrounding area began reporting a faint, low humming or droning sound, often described as like a distant diesel engine. It was usually heard indoors and at night, and some people found it impossible to sleep.
Most people in town heard nothing. A study by scientists from the University of New Mexico and nearby national laboratories found that roughly 2 percent of residents said they heard it, but recording equipment never picked up a source.
Explanations offered
No single cause has been found. Suggestions include industrial or electrical noise, low-frequency sound carried through the ground, and a form of tinnitus that only some people experience. Similar hums have been reported in Bristol, England, and Windsor, Canada, where one was later linked to industry across the river.
- When
- Early 1990s onwards
- Where
- Taos, New Mexico, USA
- Witnesses
- A small share of residents
- Status
- Unexplained
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