Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Study Suggests Infrasound Linked to Alleged Hauntings

A recent study explored how infrasound affects the human body. Infrasound is sound at frequencies too low for people to hear. The research began after a conversation between neuroscientist Kale Scatterty and his colleague, who wanted to test if infrasound causes stress in humans, like it does in zebrafish.

The team conducted an experiment with thirty-six participants. Each person sat alone in a room and listened to either calming music or unsettling ambient music. Half of the participants were exposed to infrasound from hidden speakers. The researchers expected people would feel more relaxed with calming music or more scared by unsettling music when infrasound was present.

However, the results showed something different. Participants felt more irritated and anxious with infrasound, regardless of the music. Their cortisol levels, which indicate stress, increased significantly. Importantly, none of the participants could tell when the infrasound was present.

The researchers noted that while infrasound might contribute to feelings of unease, it is not the only cause of ghostly experiences. Other factors, such as expectations about spooky events, also play a role. Infrasound might be just one part of the reason why some people feel haunted in certain places.

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Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

infrasound/ˈɪnfrəˌsaʊnd/noun
very low sound frequencies people cannot hear

frequencies/ˈfriːkwənsiz/noun
how often a sound wave repeats each second

neuroscientist/ˌnʊroʊˈsaɪəntɪst/noun
a scientist who studies the brain and nerves

experiment/ɪkˈspɛrəmənt/noun
a test done to learn or prove something

cortisol/ˈkɔrtɪsɔl/noun
a hormone the body makes when stressed

anxious/ˈæŋkʃəs/adjective
feeling worried or nervous about what will happen

How much do you know?

What is infrasound?
Sound at high frequencies
Sound at frequencies too low for people to hear
Sound that can be heard by all humans
Sound that causes hearing loss
How many participants were involved in the infrasound study?
24
30
36
42
What types of music were participants exposed to during the experiment?
Calming music and heavy metal
Calming music and unsettling ambient music
Classical music and pop music
Jazz music and ambient sounds
What did the researchers expect participants to feel when infrasound was present?
More irritated
More relaxed with calming music
More scared by unsettling music
Both B and C
Which stress indicator was measured in participants?
Heart rate
Cortisol levels
Blood pressure
Muscle tension
Could participants tell when infrasound was present during the study?
Yes, they could
No, they could not
Only some could
They were not asked
Infrasound can be heard by the human ear.
Participants felt more anxious with infrasound present.
Only the music type affected the participants' feelings, not infrasound.
The researchers were only investigating the effects of infrasound on zebrafish.
Participants' cortisol levels increased significantly during the study.
Expectations about spooky events play no role in feelings of unease.
Infrasound is sound at frequencies too low for people to hear and the study began after a conversation between neuroscientist Kale Scatterty and his colleague who wanted to test if infrasound causes stress in humans, like it does in .
The team conducted an experiment with thirty-six participants, and each person sat alone in a room and listened to either calming music or unsettling music.
The researchers expected the participants to feel more relaxed with calming music or more scared by unsettling music when was present.
The results showed that participants felt more and anxious with infrasound, regardless of the music.
Importantly, none of the participants could when the infrasound was present.
Infrasound might be just one part of the reason why some people feel in certain places.
This question is required

Test Your Understanding

Start Quiz
Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON
Accent
infrasound/ˈɪnfrəˌsaʊnd/noun
very low sound frequencies people cannot hear
frequencies/ˈfriːkwənsiz/noun
how often a sound wave repeats each second
neuroscientist/ˌnʊroʊˈsaɪəntɪst/noun
a scientist who studies the brain and nerves
experiment/ɪkˈspɛrəmənt/noun
a test done to learn or prove something
cortisol/ˈkɔrtɪsɔl/noun
a hormone the body makes when stressed
anxious/ˈæŋkʃəs/adjective
feeling worried or nervous about what will happen

How much do you know?

What is infrasound?
Sound at high frequencies
Sound at frequencies too low for people to hear
Sound that can be heard by all humans
Sound that causes hearing loss
How many participants were involved in the infrasound study?
24
30
36
42
What types of music were participants exposed to during the experiment?
Calming music and heavy metal
Calming music and unsettling ambient music
Classical music and pop music
Jazz music and ambient sounds
What did the researchers expect participants to feel when infrasound was present?
More irritated
More relaxed with calming music
More scared by unsettling music
Both B and C
Which stress indicator was measured in participants?
Heart rate
Cortisol levels
Blood pressure
Muscle tension
Could participants tell when infrasound was present during the study?
Yes, they could
No, they could not
Only some could
They were not asked
Infrasound can be heard by the human ear.
Participants felt more anxious with infrasound present.
Only the music type affected the participants' feelings, not infrasound.
The researchers were only investigating the effects of infrasound on zebrafish.
Participants' cortisol levels increased significantly during the study.
Expectations about spooky events play no role in feelings of unease.
Infrasound is sound at frequencies too low for people to hear and the study began after a conversation between neuroscientist Kale Scatterty and his colleague who wanted to test if infrasound causes stress in humans, like it does in .
The team conducted an experiment with thirty-six participants, and each person sat alone in a room and listened to either calming music or unsettling music.
The researchers expected the participants to feel more relaxed with calming music or more scared by unsettling music when was present.
The results showed that participants felt more and anxious with infrasound, regardless of the music.
Importantly, none of the participants could when the infrasound was present.
Infrasound might be just one part of the reason why some people feel in certain places.
This question is required

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