UFO Noises
Reports of strange "UFO noises" have circulated for decades, often describing deep humming, metallic droning, booming explosions, or eerie trumpet-like sounds that appear to come from the sky.
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What people mean by “UFO noises”
Descriptions of alleged UFO noises vary considerably. Witnesses commonly report:
- A low-frequency hum that seems to come from above.
- Loud explosive booms without visible aircraft or storms.
- Metallic grinding or scraping sounds.
- Long, horn-like or trumpet-like tones.
- Pulsing vibrations that can sometimes be felt indoors.
The diversity of these reports is important. Unlike well-defined natural phenomena such as thunder or sonic booms, there is no single acoustic signature consistently associated with UFO sightings. The sounds differ in duration, pitch, volume, weather conditions and accompanying visual observations.
Many widely shared internet videos labelled as “UFO sounds” actually contain recordings with little verifiable information about where or when they were captured, making independent analysis difficult.
Why these sounds are often called skyquakes
A phenomenon known as a skyquake provides the closest documented parallel to many reports of mysterious aerial noises. Skyquakes are loud sounds that appear to originate from the sky, often resembling cannon fire, distant explosions or massive brass instruments. They have been reported around the world for more than two centuries.[sciencefocus.com]sciencefocus.comScience FocusMystery ‘skyquakes’ are ripping through the world. And nobody knows why | BBC Science Focus MagazineApril 12, 2026…
What scientists think may cause them
No single explanation accounts for every skyquake. Researchers have proposed multiple mechanisms, including:
- Sonic booms from aircraft or meteors.
- Atmospheric temperature layers bending sound over long distances.
- Small earthquakes transmitting sound unusually efficiently.
- Offshore wave activity.
- Underground gas releases.
- Quarry blasting or military exercises.
- Rare combinations of weather and terrain that amplify distant sounds.
Different cases likely have different causes. Rather than representing one unexplained phenomenon, “skyquakes” may be a label covering several unrelated processes.[Science Focus]sciencefocus.comScience FocusMystery ‘skyquakes’ are ripping through the world. And nobody knows why | BBC Science Focus MagazineApril 12, 2026…
Are UFO sightings commonly accompanied by unusual sounds?
Surprisingly, many famous UFO reports involve little or no reported sound.
Witnesses often describe objects moving silently despite apparently high speeds. This silence has itself become part of UFO folklore because conventional aircraft normally produce significant engine noise.
When sounds are reported alongside unidentified objects, they are inconsistent. Accounts include:
- Buzzing.
- Electrical crackling.
- Low-frequency humming.
- Whistling.
- Mechanical vibration.
Because these reports rely primarily on eyewitness testimony rather than calibrated acoustic measurements, they cannot establish a consistent physical pattern.
NASA’s independent UAP study concluded that the available evidence is too limited and inconsistent to support firm conclusions about the nature of unidentified aerial phenomena, including any characteristic sounds.[NASA Science]science.nasa.govScience UAPNASA ScienceUAP - NASA ScienceFebruary 23, 2026…
Famous cases involving mysterious noises
Several well-known incidents are repeatedly cited in discussions of UFO noises, although none has produced conclusive evidence of an extraterrestrial origin.
The “sky trumpet” recordings
Beginning around the early 2010s, videos appeared online featuring loud metallic horn-like sounds echoing through urban environments. Many accumulated millions of views and were presented as evidence of UFO activity.
Subsequent investigations found numerous problems:
- Original recording locations were often uncertain.
- Several videos contained obvious audio editing.
- Similar sound effects were traced to commercial audio libraries in some cases.
- Independent verification was usually impossible.
While unusual sounds have certainly been recorded in some locations, viral compilations frequently combine authentic recordings with fabricated material.
Persistent humming reports
Some communities report ongoing low-frequency hums, sometimes called simply “the Hum.” These reports have occasionally become associated with UFO speculation.
However, investigations have suggested many possible explanations, including industrial equipment, electrical infrastructure, distant traffic, environmental acoustics and, in some individuals, auditory perception differences. No consistent link to unidentified aerial phenomena has been demonstrated.
Why mysterious sounds are difficult to investigate
Acoustic investigations face several challenges.
First, sound travels differently depending on weather, temperature, humidity and wind. Under certain atmospheric conditions, noises from factories, ships or distant highways can travel tens of kilometres while appearing to originate overhead.
Second, humans are poor at locating low-frequency sounds. Bass frequencies provide relatively little directional information, making it easy to misjudge where a sound originated.
Finally, many reports occur unexpectedly and last only a few seconds, leaving investigators without high-quality recordings or multiple independent measurements.
These limitations mean that even genuine unexplained noises often remain unresolved without implying an extraordinary cause.
What scientific investigations of UAP say
Recent scientific reviews have approached unidentified aerial phenomena cautiously rather than dismissively.
NASA’s independent UAP study emphasised that the principal obstacle is not a lack of theories but a lack of high-quality data. The agency found no evidence that existing reports indicate extraterrestrial technology, while acknowledging that some observations remain unidentified because available information is insufficient. The recommended approach is better sensors, improved reporting standards and rigorous data analysis rather than speculation.[NASA Science]science.nasa.govScience UAPNASA ScienceUAP - NASA ScienceFebruary 23, 2026…
Similarly, recent releases of U.S. government UAP files include reports of unusual lights, radar contacts and witness statements, but they do not establish mysterious sounds as a recurring or defining feature of these incidents. Most investigated cases ultimately receive conventional explanations or remain unresolved because the evidence is incomplete rather than because it points to alien technology.[AP News]apnews.comSpurred by former President Donald Trump's push for transparency, the files include declassified State Department cables, FBI interviews…
Common misconceptions
Several popular beliefs deserve clarification.
“All mysterious sky sounds are UFOs.” There is no evidence supporting this claim. Most investigated cases have ordinary or plausible natural explanations.
“Trumpet sounds only started recently.” Reports of unexplained booming or horn-like noises date back at least to the nineteenth century, long before modern social media.[discoveryuk.com]discoveryuk.comSkyquake: The Mysterious Sounds from the SkyDiscovery UK…
“Scientists ignore these reports.” Atmospheric scientists, geologists, acousticians and government agencies have investigated unexplained sounds and UAP reports, although many individual events remain unresolved due to limited evidence rather than lack of interest.[NASA Science]science.nasa.govScience UAPNASA ScienceUAP - NASA ScienceFebruary 23, 2026…
The current state of the evidence
The strongest evidence indicates that mysterious aerial noises are a real observational phenomenon in the sense that people genuinely hear unusual sounds. However, the available data do not support the conclusion that these noises are characteristic of UFOs or extraterrestrial vehicles.
Instead, the evidence points to a mixture of identifiable human activity, unusual atmospheric sound propagation, geological processes, occasional astronomical events such as meteors, and a smaller number of incidents that remain unexplained because they were not recorded well enough for a definitive analysis.
For that reason, “UFO noises” remain more a subject of folklore and public fascination than an established scientific category. The unresolved cases are interesting precisely because they are rare, poorly documented and resistant to simple explanation—not because they currently demonstrate the existence of alien spacecraft.
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Endnotes
1.
Source: science.nasa.gov
Title: Science UAP
Link:https://science.nasa.gov/uap/
Source snippet
NASA ScienceUAP - NASA ScienceFebruary 23, 2026...
Published: February 23, 2026
2.
Source: nasa.gov
Title: NAS A to Release, Discuss Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Report
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-release-discuss-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-report/
Source snippet
NASA to Release, Discuss Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Report - NASA...
3.
Source: discoveryuk.com
Title: Skyquake: The Mysterious Sounds from the Sky
Link:https://www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/skyquake-the-mysterious-sounds-from-the-sky/
Source snippet
Discovery UK...
4.
Source: science.nasa.gov
Link:https://science.nasa.gov/uap/faqs/
5.
Source: jpl.nasa.gov
Title: rover detects electric sparks in mars dust devils storms
Link:https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-rover-detects-electric-sparks-in-mars-dust-devils-storms/
6.
Source: nasa.gov
Title: UPDAT E: NASA Shares UAP Independent Study Report; Names Director
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/update-nasa-shares-uap-independent-study-report-names-director/
7.
Source: nasa.gov
Title: NAS A Provides Coverage of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Meeting
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-provides-coverage-of-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-meeting/
8.
Source: nasa.gov
Title: Help Discover the Sounds of Space Played by NASA’s HARP
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/space-weather/help-discover-the-sounds-of-space-played-by-nasas-harp/
9.
Source: nasa.gov
Title: NAS A Announces Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Study Team Members
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-announces-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-study-team-members/
10.
Source: nasa.gov
Title: NAS A to Discuss New Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Study Today
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-discuss-new-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-study-today/
11.
Source: science.nasa.gov
Title: eavesdropping in space how nasa records eerie sounds around earth
Link:https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/the-sun-spot/2018/12/11/eavesdropping-in-space-how-nasa-records-eerie-sounds-around-earth/
12.
Source: science.nasa.gov
Title: identifying ufos and uaps
Link:https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/night-sky-network/identifying-ufos-and-uaps/
13.
Source: science.nasa.gov
Title: 01nov ismsounds
Link:https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/planetary-science/01nov_ismsounds/
14.
Source: sciencefocus.com
Link:https://www.sciencefocus.com/planet-earth/mystery-skyquakes-are-ripping-through-the-world-and-nobody-knows-why
Source snippet
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Published: April 12, 2026
15.
Source: apnews.com
Link:https://apnews.com/article/3e658d2cf3742465127c0049c872240a
Source snippet
Spurred by former President Donald Trump's push for transparency, the files include declassified State Department cables, FBI interviews...
Additional References
16.
Source: livescience.com
Link:https://www.livescience.com/space/extraterrestrial-life/us-government-declassifies-nearly-200-uap-files-including-strange-sightings-from-apollo-astronauts
Source snippet
Department of Defense released a second batch of UFO-related files, bringing the total number of newly declassified documents to 162. Spa...
17.
Source: boingboing.net
Title: Barisal guns: mysterious booms called skyquakes
Link:https://boingboing.net/2026/07/19/barisal-guns.html
Source snippet
Ellsworth Toohey 7:30 am Sun Jul 19, 2026 Image: Barisal guns — NASA Terra/MODIS (Banco de Imágenes Geológicas) / CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia...
18.
Source: audiology.org
Title: American Academy of Audiology Skyquakes—Did You Hear It?
Link:https://www.audiology.org/skyquakes-did-you-hear-it/
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American Academy of AudiologySkyquakes—Did You Hear It? - American Academy of Audiology...
19.
Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvsU4p0Gsas
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The Strangest Encounters in Space | NASA's Unexplained Files...
20.
Source: youtube.com
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21.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Public Meeting on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (Official NASA Broadcast)
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22.
Source: youtube.com
Title: The Sky Just BOOMED… But No One Knows Why
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7QOQ1IKYes
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Breaking Breakdown UAP Footage with the Head of The Pentagon's UAP Taskforce, Dr. Jon Kosloski...
23.
Source: usgs.gov
Link:https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/earthquake-booms-seneca-guns-and-other-sounds
24.
Source: earthsky.org
Title: What is The Hum?
Link:https://earthsky.org/human-world/the-hum-scientific-update-unsolved-mysteries/
Source snippet
Scientists provide an updateJune 7, 2026 — WHAT IS THE HUM? SCIENTISTS PROVIDE AN UPDATE Posted by Paul Scott Anderson and Image June 7...
Published: June 7, 2026
25.
Source: conspiracy-theories.site
Link:https://conspiracy-theories.site/disasters-engineering-mysteries/verdict-on-mysterious-sky-trumpets-claims-evidence-gaps-and-what-we-can-and-cant-prove/