logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2023
48m 33s

CLASSIC: What is the Windsor hum?

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

For years residents of Windsor, Ontario have been haunted by a strange, disruptive noise. Sometimes compared to a truck idling or distant thunder, numerous residents say the noise has damaged people’s health and quality of life, But what exactly is the Windsor hum? Join the guys as they dive into the mystery.

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Oct 10
What Comes After Humans? Chapter Two: The Next Dominant Species
Let's imagine the worst scenario for civilization: humans, for one reason or another, go extinct. What will rise from the ashes of the Anthropocene to take their place? In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Dylan explore the possible candidates, from various h ... Show More
52m 8s
Oct 9
Listener Mail: Big Tobacco, Kaikōura Lights Theories, Post-Snuff Messages and More
The Chef calls in with a fascinating theory on the Kaikōura lights. Nemesis shares an inside look at Big Tobacco, answering Ben's earlier question about smoking inside (and much more). In the wake of the infamous Snuff episode, multiple Conspiracy Realists reach out with jokes, p ... Show More
55m 39s
Oct 8
What Comes After Humans? Chapter One: A Brief, Brightly Burning Light
Humans! Seems like they're everywhere these days. They've also been great for our show, so thanks! Anyhow, the Age of the Anthropocene has fundamentally altered the natural world -- and, no matter what happens, the legacy of the human will remain long after the actual species is ... Show More
49m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
Atlas Obscura Presents: “Windsor Hum” from Twenty Thousand Hertz
Today’s episode comes from Twenty Thousand Hertz, a podcast that reveals the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. On their show, they’ve explored topics like the sounds of other planets, the mind blowing ways that insects communicate, and secret sp ... Show More
14m 30s
Oct 2021
Noise Pollution: Arrrgh!
If you’ve ever found your blood pressure rising because some guy down the street doesn’t know how to keep the trigger on a leaf blower pulled all the way, then you’ve experienced noise pollution. Not only is it annoying, it turns out it’s deadly too! Learn more about your ad-choi ... Show More
51m 54s
Apr 2024
Can noise harm our health?
From ear-splitting aircraft noise and the drone of traffic to the hum of an open-plan office, the world around us can feel loud. But is it getting louder? And is this having any effect on our health - and even on how long we live? We find out when living close to a road, railway ... Show More
27m 52s
Jan 2023
Have we lost our manners when it comes to noise pollution ?
A year after we reopened as a society, some of us are still trying to adjust to the noise of everyday life. But have we gotten louder, playing Instagram out loud on the Luas, shouting in the street late at night. Has Ireland become selfish and has the world turned louder? Is it a ... Show More
10m 43s
Aug 2021
The mysterious “Windsor Hum” is finally solved!
In 2011, residents of Windsor, Ontario started experiencing a strange rumbling hum that rattled dishes and kept people awake at night. Then, after years of getting nowhere, the mystery of the Windsor Hum was finally solved... Or was it? This is a totally remixed, revoiced, and up ... Show More
19m 4s
May 2021
Is my neighbour’s noise harming my health?
As millions more of us move to live in densely populated cities, we almost inevitably face living in closer proximity to our neighbours. Neighbour noise can certainly be a source of annoyance – but could it even be damaging to our health? Increasing evidence suggests that unwante ... Show More
27m 34s
Feb 2019
Why noise is bad for your health -- and what you can do about it | Mathias Basner
Silence is a rare commodity these days. There's traffic, construction, air-conditioning, your neighbor's lawnmower ... and all this unwanted sound can have a surprising impact on your health, says noise researcher Mathias Basner. Discover the science behind how noise affects your ... Show More
10m 4s
Jan 2023
The Happiness of Silence
We're surrounded by noise. That "noise" can be actual sounds - but also other annoyances and distractions that make it hard for us to concentrate or think clearly. And it's only getting worse - we're all being bombarded with more sirens, more pings, more chatter, more information ... Show More
32m 20s
Jul 2023
Shhhhhh! It’s the sound and silence episode
Humans are noisy. The National Park Service estimates that all of our whirring, grinding, and revving machines are doubling or even tripling global noise pollution every 30 years. A lot of that noise is negatively affecting wildlife and human health. Maybe that’s why we’re so con ... Show More
29m 57s
Jan 2022
S2 – 1: The World was on Fire
Virginia City was Nevada’s largest boomtown with a rise and fall in a span of 20 years. Historically dark, and now reported to be haunted by miners, historical figures and women of ill repute - to this day, the bourbon still flows and the ghost stories are a’plenty. Join us at a ... Show More
59m 40s