B.C. man investigates “World Hum” phenomenon

[The World Hum Map and Database]

A British Columbia man has created a website devoted to documenting an unexplained phenomenon known as The World Hum.

Glen MacPherson first heard the hum back in 2012, reports Global News. At first, the Gibsons resident thought the low-level murmur was coming from nearby float planes, but soon realized they were not the cause.

Puzzled by the droning sound, MacPherson looked online and discovered that he wasn’t the only one hearing it. Individuals around the world reported a similar noise, and it had even been named.

Many suspect that the hum is caused by low-frequency radio emissions used by the military to communicate with submarines.

Another suggestion is that the sound is caused by the collective sounds of human activity, from cars and traffic to various forms of industry. A third popular theory is that the hum is caused by natural geological processes.

In his research, McPherson discovered an online community interested in the hum, but little scientific research or evidence. In an effort to fill this void, the school teacher created The World Hum Map and Database.

MacPherson has collected reports from people in countries around the world, each experience is then recorded and reported in the database.

So far, he’s logged more than 9000 reports, though he admits the data is skewed, as the site only accessible to English speakers.

MacPherson is also experimenting with a deming box, an experimental steel box that creates a space free of very low-frequency radio waves. If the sound could be heard outside the box but not in it, this would demonstrate that radio waves are causing the sound.

MacPherson has constructed a box and intends to begin testing it on the Sunshine Coast soon.

If testing goes well, MacPherson intends to ship the box to other provinces and countries so that the hum can be tested beyond British Columbia’s borders.