What) It's a generic name used in cities all over the world that experience the same strange phenomenon, but despite its ubiquity, that name is still a bit spooky: The Hum. A persistent and invasive low-frequency humming noise that is only audible to some people in the area, the cause of most of the world's hums is still unknown. And for many, even though a source has been identified, it's unclear why a humming noise is being produced.

    In Kokomo, Indiana, a small, sleepy industrial town in the middle of America, the hum is thought to come from some of the fans in massive cooling towers at the local Daimler Chrysler casting plant. It's also been suggested that the hum in Kokomo could be originating from another large plant's air compressor intake.

    Wherever it's coming from, the hum is still described as a frightening mystery by the town's residents, who have compared the noise to that of the "deep growling of a train idling." Many have blamed the hum for serious health problems, including joint pain, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and headaches. Others say that those people are crazy, they don't hear anything, and they don't believe there is such a thing as the hum. People have been complaining about a strange sound, though, ever since 1999. (1)

    Where) 2401 South Reed Road (equivalent to Highway 31)

    Why) This is exactly the sort of thing that I like to place onto the Buckys list and then spend an hour trying to find or not find.  It doesn't really matter what happens as the search is often the most interesting part.

    What) Close the windows, turn off the electricity, and be very quiet: We're listening for the Hum, a worldwide phenomenon in which a distant rumbling sound can be heard in some places by some people. No single cause has ever been found. The Hum is infamous in some of its most noted locations: The Taos Hum in New Mexico, The Bristol Hum in England, the Auckland Hum in New Zealand, the Kokomo Hum in Indiana. In these places, some 2-10% of the population can hear the rumble. It's described as sounding like a distant diesel engine idling. Some people hear it better outdoors; some people hear it better indoors; some people hear it higher up on the second story and others lower down in the basement. In some places, more men hear it than women. In others, more women hear it. Some Hums are heard more often by older people, and some by younger people. For some people, earplugs help - indicating that it's an actual audible sound; for others, they don't - indicating that it's not. Explanations ranging from insect noise to meteors to secret government projects abound, but no explanation is satisfying.

    So what exactly does this Hum sound like? Let's listen to one. A number of people have made synthesized versions of the Hum with the cooperation of sufferers, sort of like an audible police sketch of a suspect. Dr. Tom Moir in New Zealand has done some research on the Auckland Hum, and has collected an actual audio recording, of which I'll now play a few seconds. It's really low frequency, so you might not be able to hear it on computer speakers. Here goes: [play sample]

    Some people I spoke with did cast doubt on the authenticity of this recording, saying that nobody has ever successfully managed to record the Hum, and that this sample sounds identical to some of the synthesized versions out there. However, when presented for purely illustrative purposes, this recording does give an accurate representation of the general consensus for what the Hum sounds like. (2)