The Brown Note

The brown note is an infrasonic frequency that would cause humans to lose control of their bowels due to resonance. In simpler words, it is a note so low, that it vibrates the inside of our body in such a way that it forces anyone to "poo their pants". The name is a metonym.

For years there have been urban legends about it. Not only has this elusive weapon been sought by the governments (the ultimate non-lethal riot control device), but it also crops up in science fiction.

History

1956 – Thunderscreech: The Republic XF-84H, also known as the “Thunderscreech” and “The Mighty Ear-Banger”, was an experimental military airplane. It is the loudest aircraft ever built; its propellers spun faster than the speed of sound even at idle. The supersonic propeller blades would cause rapid-fire shockwaves that would cause nausea, spasms, seizures, and loosening of the bowels. It sustained a constant sonic boom on the ground which could reportedly be heard up to 25 miles away.

Test pilots had refused to take it up, and only one of the two prototypes ever flew for about 10 hours. One of the crew members was violently knocked to the ground, another suffered a seizure as a result of the propeller’s shock wave which had induced severe nausea and headaches in the attending Edwards Air Force Base crew as well. Starting the plane threatened the control tower and its sensitive components so much due to the resulting vibrations that in order to take the plane out they had to tow some distance away before they could safely run up its engine. The program was cancelled a year later.

The legend might have been born after several real-life tests of this airplane as people started to believe that there was a certain low frequency that could cause the listener to lose control of their bowels and spontaneously defecate.

1974 – The Collosophone Spoof: In 1974, the New Scientist magazine had published a spoof article concerning a fictional 110-foot wide speaker in Victorian England called the “Collosophone” which, during a recitation of the national anthem caused the entire audience to lose bowel function.

“As soon as the first notes crashed out, the audience showed signs of discomfort, which gave rise to a panic before a verse of the Anthem was complete. Moreover, the evident mass psychological disturbance was accompanied by unpleasant physiological symptoms: pain, dieresis, and diarrhea.”

1997 – Spider Jerusalem: Transmetropolitan is a cyberpunk transhumanist comic book series. It was published by DC in 1997–2002. Spider Jerusalem is the protagonist of the comic book. Spider's weapon of choice for most of the series is a "bowel disruptor", that operates on the brown note principle. It causes instant and painful loss of bowel control, with settings that allow him to vary the level of pain and discomfort, ranging from simple loose, to complete rectal prolapse.

It may have been a rip off from Steve Meretzky's “The Superhero League of Hoboken” computer game from 1994.

2000 – South Park (World Wide Recorder Concert): The final episode of the third season of the animated television series South Park was aired on January 12, 2000. In the episode, the boys feud with children from New York at a gathering of elementary school students for a recorder concert. On the night before the concert, the boys were trying to find a way to get back at the New York kids, when Cartman succeeds in his efforts to discover a frequency "92 octaves below the lowest E flat" that causes instant diarrhoea - the legendary "brown noise". However, by accident, the altered sheet music for the concert was discovered by the organizer of the concert and is photocopied and redistributed to everyone. During the concert, the boys discover that everyone is playing the altered sheet music containing the brown note, and they race to stop the concert. But they are too late and the note is played, and with the power of four million recorders behind it, everyone in the world ends up defecating in their pants, whether they are watching the broadcast or otherwise.

2005 – MythBusters: The Mythbusters show on Discovery Channel took a stab at The Brown Note in 2005, surrounding, Adam Savage with as many huge speakers as they could get their hands on and blasting a range of frequencies to help incite spontaneous diarrhoea.

The myth was busted(discussed later).

2006 – Ben Folds: Improv Everywhere and musician Ben Folds had pulled off a prank together involving the Brown Note at Ben Folds' show at the Beacon Theatre on November 20, 2006. The band had been playing the frequency(10Hz) at every gig, informing the audience of the urban legend that it is so intense that it makes humans defecate in their pants. Someone from the band’s crew would throw diapers into the crowd as the sound played, but of course nothing ever happened.

That night, the Improv Everywhere group had scattered four agents in the audience who would freak out when the sound was played. They were taken away to get medical attention and someone else from the group had arrived dressed as an EMT to clean them up with towels pre-stained with chocolate syrup!

Neat.

Sound

Considering air as the transmission medium, sound is just a change in air pressure. Our ears can generally pick up this change only if it happens somewhere between 20 times per second (20Hz), and 20,000 times per second (20 kHz). This is the audio frequency range, or the "audio band". Any sound above 20 kHz is called "ultrasound" — we humans can't hear. Bats use ultrasound to avoid obstacles in the dark. Sounds lower than 20Hz are called infrasound — and again, we humans cannot hear it. Natural sources of infrasound include wind turbulence in mountains, volcanic activity, earthquakes, etc. Humans can produce infrasound with rocket launches, sonic booms, etc.

Physiological effects of infrasound.

The "brown note" is supposedly in the infrasound area, somewhere below 20 Hz – which is beyond the lower limit of what the average human can detect. Within this infrasound region, the frequency of 7 Hz has always been shrouded in mystery because of supposedly harmful effects.

Dr Matthew Wright, a Senior Lecturer in Acoustics at the University of Southampton stated in an interview that, the idea that there is a frequency that our body may respond a bit more and a bit less to might be true, but, the idea that there's a magical frequency where astounding things happen is wishful thinking. There's no particular reason why the bowels would respond differently than any other part of our body. With something as complicated as the human body, the existence of the alleged “brown note” seems impossible. He further adds that, among the scientific community, brown note is considered to be an elaborate myth, based off the power of sound in other situations.

In early 2007, US Air Force scientist Dr James Jauchem and his colleague Dr Michael Cook, had reviewed literature in the field of energy bio-effects. They found absolutely no evidence of infrasound causing diarrhoea.

In an article published in 1998 the author described a situation where he (Vladimir Gavreau) had experienced some ghostly phenomena - feeling depressed and sometimes a cold shiver. He discovered by accident that there was a powerful infrasound wave being created by an exhaust fan in the room and, the ghostly phenomena seemed to go away when he turned off the exhaust fan. There have been numerous instances of enthusiasts and scientists, exposing themselves to 7 Hz frequency notes at high decibel levels. While some have experienced varied levels of emotional distress, none have lost control and defecated involuntarily.

There are known effects of infrasound, depending on how loud the sound is — vibration of the chest-wall, changes in respiratory rhythm, sensation of gagging, vibration of the visual fields and so on. It is known that, infrasound of 4–6HZ will make the contents of the chest and abdomen vibrate in sympathy, while 3–6Hz will interfere with the normal motility of the stomach. Infrasound lower than 2Hz will make our whole body move as a single unit in resonance with the sound.

Air is a very inefficient medium for transferring low frequency vibration from a transducer to the human body but, a mechanical connection of the vibration source to the human body, provides a potentially dangerous combination. The U.S. space program, worried about the harmful effects of rocket flight on astronauts. They had conducted vibration tests that used cockpit seats mounted on vibration tables to transfer "brown note" and other frequencies directly to the human subjects. Very high power levels of 160 dB were achieved at frequencies of 2–3 Hz. Test frequencies ranged from 0.5 Hz to 40 Hz. Test subjects suffered nausea, visual disturbance, degraded task performance and difficulties in communication. NASA also mentioned that 18 hertz was apparently the resonant frequency of the eye which could explain the visual anomaly other results indicate. Infrasound could be used to make a person hyperventilate. These tests are also assumed to be the source of the current urban myth.

Brown Noise

Brownian noise, also known as Brown noise or red noise, is the kind of signal noise produced by Brownian motion, hence its alternative name of random walk noise. The term "Brown noise" does not come from the colour, but after Robert Brown, who documented the erratic motion for multiple types of inanimate particles in water. The term "red noise" comes from the "white noise"/"white light" analogy; red noise is strong in longer wavelengths, similar to the red end of the visible spectrum.

The terms Brown Note and Brown Noise have been used interchangeably in reports, shows and articles, although they are completely different from each other.

MythBusters

In February 2005 the television show MythBusters used twelve Meyer Sound 700-HP subwoofers specially modified for deeper bass extension. Roger Schwenke and John Meyer directed the Meyer Sound team in devising a special test rig that would produce very high sound levels at infrasonic frequencies. The subwoofers' tuning ports were blocked and their input cards were altered. The modified cabinets were positioned in an open ring configuration: four stacks of three subwoofers each. Test signals were generated by a SIM-3 audio analyser, with its software modified to produce infrasonic tones. A Brüel & Kjær sound level analyser, fed with an attenuated signal from a model 4189 measurement microphone, displayed and recorded sound pressure levels. The hosts on the show tried a series of frequencies as low as 5 Hz, attaining a level of 120 decibels of sound pressure at 9 Hz and up to 153 dB at frequencies above 20 Hz, but the rumoured physiological effects did not materialize. The test subjects all reported some physical anxiety and shortness of breath, even a small amount of nausea, but this was dismissed by the hosts, noting that sound at that frequency and intensity moves air rapidly in and out of one's lungs. The show declared the brown note myth "busted”.

“Even after testing a wide range of sub-audible and near-sub-audible noises on him, not once did Adam lose control of his bowels. Some discomfort was reported however, due to the effects of low-frequency sound on the lungs.”

Criticism: Many have suggested that, the strategy of surrounding the subject with speakers without accounting for phase effects would have resulted in a loss of effective power being transmitted, especially at the geometrical centre of the speakers. Certainly, with four speakers surrounding someone, unwanted interference effects would occur; but surely at the geometrical centre all 4 sources would be in phase and thus interfere constructively (assuming that the signal is transmitted to all 4 speakers in phase). Although, due to the long wavelength of sounds at these frequencies, the intensity of the sound inside the ring of speakers could never have reached a minimum at any point within the ring at all (unless the speakers were placed more than about 30m apart); this would seem to make interference effects rather negligible.

Further, people have criticised that, they didn’t test the myth with the complete range of frequencies between 5 Hz – 9 Hz, but, have tested it on discrete frequencies only.

Brainiac

The same experiment was also tried in the show 'Brainiac'. The show asked for feedback from viewers as they had transmitted the note on the programme (after appropriate warnings).

Criticism: The tone broadcasted, was quite audible (and thus not < 20 Hz). Both the speakers they used and any given TV set are definitely not capable of reproducing the said frequencies.

Both the TV shows tried to recreate this Brown Note and failed. They had only a brief production time available to them. But, where does the Government angle come in?

Acoustic Weapons

Acoustic weapons, also known as long-range acoustic devices and sound cannons, are devices that deliver very loud sounds over long distances. This technology is used for crowd-control purposes by emitting loud and painful levels of noise that may lead to significant harms to the ears, potentially causing hearing loss.

Sound amplifiers have been used for centuries, but this technology was weaponized for crowd-control purposes in the early 1990s. Specialty devices that are able to project loud sounds over very long ranges were first used by the U.S. military in Iraq in 2004. Since the 1990s, the U.S. military and private companies have also researched infrasonic devices which could have effects at very low frequencies that might not be heard by the human ear. The fairly narrow beam can focus on specific targeted areas. The sound is designed to be controlled by police officers who can alter the frequency, level, quality, and duration of the alarm. Abuse or lack of operator knowledge about the health effects can exacerbate injury.

The known types of acoustic weapons are:

· The LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device) brand: With a maximum output of 12 decibels at one meter, it can cause pain at 20 meters and permanent hearing loss at close range (5 meters or less).

· “The Mosquito:” A high-pitched sound weapon that is audible and painful to young people, while leaving older people (30s and older) unaffected.

· Infrasonic weapon: This newer technology is under investigation. It would deliver very low-frequency sounds that would be inaudible but could cause pain, disorientation, nausea, and possibly long-term hearing loss.

Among the most infamous developers of infrasonic weapons was a Russian-born French researcher named Vladimir Gavreau. According to popular media, Gavreau started to investigate reports of nausea in his lab that supposedly disappeared once a ventilator fan was disabled. He then launched into a series of experiments on the effects of infrasound on human subjects, with results 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.

Dr. Jürgen Altmann of the Bochum Verification Project, who carried out the definitive review of all available literature on the effects of acoustic weapons said, “Evidence for bowel spasms and uncontrolled defecation is even scarcer. Among all the literature surveyed for this article, the only hint found was one on “digestive troubles” observed during experiments with a strong 16-Hz siren. These were, however, not specified at all, and the explanation immediately following talked of objects vibrating in clothing pockets. In the low frequency exposures up to 150 dB no bowel spasms were observed. The same holds for low-frequency animal experiments. Here it is noteworthy that also in reviewing vibration experiments no mention was made of bowel spasms or uncontrolled defecation.”

China has made the world’s first hand-held sonic gun which can scatter crowds by causing throbbing vibrations in the eardrums, eyeballs, brain, and other internal organs. The law enforcement and military developed the rifle, which uses low-frequency sounds, resulting in a ‘biological effect’ on the body, according to the report published in the South China Morning Post. The news arrives as China struggles with how to address current pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

Serious questions remain about the safety and efficacy of acoustic weapons in crowd-control contexts.

Conclusion

The Brown Note could possibly be a MacGuffin in popular culture, as it keeps appearing in various shows, comics and games like the Transmetropolitan, South Park, Archer, The League, Orange Is The New Black, "Angel Boy", etc.

Sound is considered to have more of a psychological effect than physical. Instead of a specific frequency, it’s songs that have a long history in psychological warfare. In the Vietnam War, troops played “Ghost Tape Number Ten”, at the dead of night deep in the jungle. The tape played funeral music and heavy-distorted voices that sound like ghosts.

The existing acoustic crowd control weapons and the ongoing researches on the same have been based on the effects of infrasound on the human body, and mind. The Brown Note is supposed to be one such sensory input that could cause bowel disruptions. The events discussed above and, the statements quoted, conclude that, sound can be an extremely powerful thing and can produce real physical effects, but, the brown note, due to lack of sufficient evidence, is most likely an urban myth and any audio or video clip on the internet claiming to produce the Brown Note is fake.

The concerned authorities try hard to dispel these myths. Equally though, they might find that the effects of crowd control weapons can be greatly enhanced by just fear.

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The BeardnWeird Blog

Brown Note - The Audio Laxative

The Brown Note

History

Sound

Physiological effects of infrasound.

Brown Noise

MythBusters

Brainiac

Acoustic Weapons

Conclusion

References

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