Researchers link mysterious worldwide Hum to low-frequency tinnitus
8 reported1 unconfirmed
A study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology suggests that the unexplained low-frequency sound known as The Hum, reported by an estimated 2-4 percent of people worldwide, may often originate from within the auditory system rather than from external sources. Researchers tested 28 participants in Germany who reported hearing an unexplained hum or buzz, examining whether they had exceptional low-frequency hearing or measurable sounds produced inside their ears. Most participants did not show exceptional hearing, and only two had better than average hearing at certain low frequencies. The team also tested for oto-acoustic emissions, faint sounds naturally produced by the cochlea, but found no evidence that participants could hear these emissions. The strongest possibility, according to lead researcher Markus Drexl, is that many cases involve low-frequency tinnitus, where the sound is perceived internally even though it seems external. The phenomenon first gained widespread attention in Bristol, England, during the mid-1970s and has since been reported in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and several European cities. The study was published in PLOS One on July 19, 2026.
What’s reported
The Hum is reported by an estimated 2-4 percent of people worldwide.
Researchers studied 28 participants in Germany who reported hearing an unexplained hum or buzz.
Most participants did not show exceptional low-frequency hearing; only two had better than average hearing at certain low frequencies.
The team found no evidence that participants could hear oto-acoustic emissions from their own ears.
The most likely explanation for most cases is low-frequency tinnitus, according to researcher Markus Drexl.
The phenomenon was first widely reported in Bristol, England, during the mid-1970s.
Reports have since come from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and several European cities.
The study was published in PLOS One on July 19, 2026, by researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Open questions
The source article does not specify whether any participants were found to have an external physical sound source causing their experience.
Key figures
Markus Drexl, professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Glen MacPherson, Canadian teacher who established The World Hum Map and Database Project in 2012
Sources: ScienceDaily
