Some people are sensitive to low-frequency noise from ventilation systems, heat pumps, wind turbines, transformers, etc. why is that?
The brain perceives low-frequency sounds quite differently than other sounds. Perhaps that’s why some people react to them even more.
Experts call sounds below 16 Hz infrasound. This is a sound that is often thought to be impossible to hear. But that’s not the case.
Humans can actually perceive infrasound if the sound level is high enough. ”
Carlos Jurado, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Neurology and Exercise Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Some are sensitive to low frequency noise. For example, they can originate from ventilation systems, heat pumps, wind turbines, industry, transport, generators, transformers, etc. However, this is difficult to measure because sound is often perceived as a hum or physical sensation rather than a high-frequency sound.
I didn’t know how we perceive sound
Scientists have long been uncertain about how we perceive infrasound. Jurado is currently investigating the case with Thorsten Marquardt of University College London.
Their results were recently published in an article in the journal Nature. scientific report.
“Our study suggests that infrasound is registered in the inner ear differently than normal sound,” Marquardt says.
Inside the inner ear are specialized sensory hair cells that are crucial in transmitting sound signals to the brain.
“But at very low frequencies, the signal to these hair cells becomes so weak that it can be picked up by other hair cells that normally contribute to auditory processes,” Jurado explains.
“These supporting cells normally receive signals from the brain to modulate hearing sensitivity and generate electric fields strong enough to trigger neural signals sent to the brain, allowing infrasound to be perceived,” Marquardt says.
feel more emotion than any other sound
Perhaps that’s why the extra bass feels different than other sounds.
“This may explain why infrasound feels different from normal sound. A small increase in sound pressure immediately makes the sound much louder. This phenomenon can now be easily explained as a natural consequence of the new discovery,” says Jurado.
The new discovery may also help scientists understand why some people are bothered by low-frequency noise while others are not, as the newly discovered mechanism may differ from person to person.
sauce:
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Reference magazines:
Jurado, C., & Marquardt, T. (2026) Infrasound sensation is mediated by potentials in the cochlea. scientific report. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-50179-w. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-50179-w
