Can Sound Be Used As A Weapon?
Yes, in simple ordinary ways sound can be used as a weapon. It may be used to injure someone or cause some kind of harm. One can use a thumping stereo to annoy another or regularly sound a loud horn at them, maybe where they live or work. These minor occurrences of tyranny happen all the time across the country. Unfortunately, there are larger staged and engineered sounds and devices used for larger intentions of the crime. Not only sound but other signals are in use as well.
On larger scales, in times of war sound was often the first weapon employed by armies. Enemy encampments would broadcast loud noises, drums, horns, explosions and artillary bombardment to keep their opponents awake night and day until worn, weak, and exhausted and then attack taking the opponent's army, fortress or stronghold. In fact, this is similar to how Alexander the Great's Macedonian forces overcame an exhausted Persian army.
Of Sound Mind
My studies into sound revealed that infrasound and resonant frequencies can have certain effects on human beings so I wanted to know just what affects people might suffer. I pondered the possibility of ulterior motives at work. Further studies into sound reveal that in some places, governments and industry have used resonant tones against people playing their part of the symbolic 'beast' so to speak. The sound frequencies used are intentionally engineered to do bodily harm to humans. Not only it's pitch but the volume and intensity play a part too. This is one way that sound is used as a weapon which could physically injure or disable a person and in some cases, even kill them. Are we under attack? Be warned. I found that there are indeed dirty deeds at work with real evil intentions in the world of sounds and music, mostly for purposes of maintaining obedience or intentional tyranny. The use of sound for terrorism has been practiced the world over since ancient times.
Infrasound and Acoustic Sound
With the arrival of the machine and electrical age of the 19th and 20th centuries, more serious scientific studies into sound use came into play. Among the most infamous developers of infrasonic weapons was a Russian-born French researcher named Vladimir Gavreau. According to popular media at the time, Gavreau began investigating reports of nausea in his lab that supposedly disappeared once a ventilator fan was disabled. He then launched a series of experiments on the effects of infrasound on human subjects, with results (as reported) ranging from subjects needing to be saved in the nick of time from an infrasonic "envelope of death" that damaged their internal organs to people having their organs "converted to jelly" by exposure to an infrasonic whistle. By the time 166 dB is reached, people noticed problems breathing. Gavreau had patented these, and they were the basis of secret government programs into infrasonic weapons. (Source: Popular Science) The only records of such are found in personal notes, journals, and regional media reports of the time. I would suspect that working for the government in secret, no other official or public records of Gavreau's studies and findings would be recorded or found.
All of this got me to thinking about the many signals and sounds in the air today and how they too could affect our lives and well being. Trains, traffic, aircraft, industry, machinery, and other noises could surely affect people outside of getting our attention or disrupting peace and quiet. Did you ever live near an airport or military base? Loud & nerve jarring sounds bombard us all the day long including loud music, subwoofers, and horns. Studies have shown that these sounds can have consequences for the human body and nervous system. It is common knowledge that too loud of a sound can damage your eardrums or make you deaf. I've attending many a concert and left with ringing ears that lasted for a couple of days after. In retrospect, some of these sounds can actually help or heal us. See Music And Sound As Tools
Resonance and Sound Waves
All objects posses what is known as a natural frequency, or a frequency at which that object vibrates. If you tap a fork against a wineglass, the tinkling sound it produces is its natural frequency. Any sound reproducing that same natural frequency will cause the glass to vibrate. This common phenomenon is known as resonance and occurs because the sound displaces nearby air particles which crash into the glass like invisible waves. When the sound is amplified, these waves get more powerful. With enough amplification, the glass can vibrate so strongly that it shatters. All sounds travel on sound waves which are based on the frequency. Its frequency is defined as a specific measured pressure against a medium such as air. Knowing that sounds can be used to fracture solid materials, ask yourself; How fragile are you?
'The proof is in the pudding.' Take off your glasses or remove your contacts first. If you sit in front of a very good-quality sub-woofer and play a 19Hz sound or modulate it to 19Hz, Your eyes will twitch. As you turn up the volume, approaching 110 dB, you may even start seeing colored lights at the periphery of your vision or ghostly gray regions in the center. This is because 19Hz is the resonant frequency of the human eyeball. (Source: Popular Science) Prolonged exposure could cause blindness. I'll discuss the effects of sound on our ears and other organs in another article. For now, we have proven studies revealing the evidence of sound's impact on humanity.
