March 2023
Not everyone can hear it, but an increasing number of residents of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, are becoming concerned about a low-frequency humming/droning noise invading their homes across the area.
We would like to hear from anybody who is experiencing this phenomenon, so that we can get a better idea of the scope of the problem and see if there is anything that we can collectively do to mitigate this annoying issue.
If you are a fellow ‘hummer’, do leave some comments below. Please indicate your location (your approximate area will suffice) and give some detail on what you are hearing, what times you hear it, and when it first started etc. as this may help others who are suffering the same problem. Hopefully, we may be able to identify the cause.
For the sake of initial disclosure, I live in the Preston Park/Dyke Road area of Brighton (and no, I don’t suffer from tinnitus!). I mostly hear the hum during the colder winter months, and during summertime it is largely not present. Typically, it will start between 9pm and 11pm, and will often continue until morning, sometimes being very loud/annoying for short periods of time, but mostly a low-level background din. I have personally found that normal foam earplugs block the sound, which provides some relief!
A special thank you to all those who are contributing to the discussion in the comments section!
Some resources:
The Hum seems to be a worldwide phenomenon. Serious scientific research blog run by Dr. Glen MacPherson. A great resource for those wishing to learn more about the hum:
Worldwide Hum Map, which shows how distributed this problem is. Part of the research blog above. Zooming into Brighton & Hove UK, you can see several reported locations around the city:
Video: A man is tormented by a low-frequency humming sound emanating from his house. Could it be the “hum,” a mysterious noise heard around the world by thousands of people? Or is that just a collective delusion?
Bristol, UK, has also had a major hum problem, although professional research into the matter didn’t reveal a source!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35344544
Video: Can you hear a hum? | Earth Lab
Sound familiar?….
Brighton & Hove Low-Frequency Humming Noise 