Mysterious North Shore hum remains elusive

The source of a mysterious hum on the Shore is yet to be found.

It has been almost a year since Massey University Albany senior lecturer Tom Moir and lecturer Fakhrul Alam started investigating the hum heard by a number of residents in Birkenhead, Albany, Glenfield, Takapuna, Torbay, Orewa and Whangaparaoa.

The story, originally reported in the North Shore Times, made headlines as far as Sydney.

"Some people have said it's almost as if somebody had switched something on next door, or nearby, and others have reported burns on their bodies," Dr Moir says.

"I have been unable to find the cause of that. It could be just a medical condition."

The hum is said to be a low-frequency buzzing said to make those who hear it feel sick or suffer sleep deprivation, eye strain, nose bleeds or heart palpitations.

It is reported to have been heard as far back as 1970 on the Shore and as far away as the Scottish seaside town of Largs and Taos in New Mexico.

After extensive coverage in the North Shore Times sufferers came forward to describe their experiences.

Last year Marie Peard said she only heard the hum inside her Birkenhead home.

Birkdale resident Ian Richards said the hum was so bad he moved from Northcote, but it did not stop. He described it as a low, electrical, vibrating sound.

Dr Moir says since he recorded the hum last year various people have approached him about it.

"A few were a bit weird and some were normal people.

"What interests us is the effect on the human body of high-frequency radio waves.

"Some people claimed the noise comes from the mobile phone masts. I don't share this view but I accept that in the history of man we have never lived in an age like this where electromagnetic waves are everywhere."

Dr Moir says he wants to know if there is a link between the noise and electromagnetic waves.

- © Fairfax NZ News