By Tim Binnall
An interesting new study suggests that inaudible sound waves, or infrasound, could be responsible for a person perceiving paranormal activity. The enlightening research project reportedly saw three dozen participants presented with a series of both calming and unsettling music clips. Unbeknownst to them, in some instances, these segments were 'supplemented' with infrasound. Remarkably, the research found that, regardless of what type of music was played, the clips with added infrasound conjured feelings of irritability, annoyance, fear, and discomfort as well as an increase in the 'stress hormone' cortisol.
As for how the findings of the study could connect to the paranormal, infrasound is often produced by things like aged pipes and heating or ventilation systems, often found in decades-old locations that have certain 'lore' about them. To visitors of such spooky spots, those inaudible sound waves may "supply a bit of bodily discomfort that a ghost or haunting explanation can then attach itself to" in the mind of the paranormal believer, explained psychologist Rodney Schmaltz, one of the authors of the study. "For someone who is not inclined to think in terms of ghosts," he mused, "the same sensation would probably just register as a stuffy, uncomfortable old building. For someone who is already primed, it might feel like proof of a spirit or presence."