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🇦🇹 Austria /Health & Science

Infrasound Could Be Behind Unease in "Haunted Houses," Study Suggests

From Der Standard · (9m ago) German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Infrasound, an unhearable sound, may be a cause for feelings of unease and elevated stress in old houses, often associated with "haunted" places.
  • While the idea of supernatural perceptions in old houses is persistent, scientific explanations are now exploring physical phenomena like infrasound.
  • A new study suggests that infrasound could trigger physiological responses, such as diffuse anxiety and increased stress hormones, potentially explaining the unsettling atmosphere in certain old dwellings.

The age-old mystery of why old houses sometimes evoke feelings of unease may finally have a scientific explanation, moving beyond the realm of ghosts and spirits. Recent research published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience suggests that infrasound—sound frequencies below the range of human hearing—could be responsible for the unsettling sensations often reported in older dwellings.

Unhörbarer Schall löst diffuse Beklemmung aus und erhöht Stresshormone im Blut.

— Der StandardThis sentence summarizes the core finding of the research: inaudible sound (infrasound) causes diffuse anxiety and increases stress hormones.

For generations, tales of the supernatural have populated the narratives surrounding old houses, creating an enduring belief in paranormal activity. However, this new study offers a tangible, physical cause for such experiences. Infrasound, generated by various natural and man-made sources, can induce a range of physiological and psychological effects, including feelings of anxiety, dread, and even physical discomfort, without the listener being consciously aware of the sound itself.

Genau das kann in alten Häusern auftreten

— Der StandardThis phrase directly links the effects of infrasound to the specific context of old houses, suggesting it as a potential explanation for unease.

As a publication based in Austria, where historical architecture is abundant, Der Standard finds this research particularly compelling. It provides a rational framework for phenomena that have long been attributed to the supernatural. This scientific perspective not only demystifies the "haunted house" trope but also highlights how subtle environmental factors can profoundly impact human perception and well-being. The study opens up new avenues for understanding the atmosphere of historical buildings and the human experience within them, offering a fascinating intersection of acoustics, psychology, and architecture.

Doch nun bestätigt eine neue Studie im Fachjournal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience eine Möglichkeit menschlicher Wahrnehmungen abseits der bekannten Sinne, die in alten Häusern auftreten könnte.

— Der StandardThis sentence introduces the new study and its journal, emphasizing that it confirms a possibility of human perception beyond the known senses, potentially occurring in old houses.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Der Standard in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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