What is infrasound?

Infrasound is sound that you can’t hear because it’s too quiet and has a very deep, slow vibration.

Imagine you’re pushing on a swing. If you gently nudge it, it moves slowly back and forth, that's like infrasound. It’s so slow and deep that your ears don’t pick it up, but sometimes your body can feel it, like when you're near a big truck or a loud engine.

Normal sounds are like fast, bouncy vibrations, think of the quick ping of a bell or the crash of thunder. Infrasound is more like the slow, steady thump of a heartbeat from far away. It's so low that it can travel through walls and even across long distances.

Some animals use infrasound to talk to each other, elephants, for example, can send messages through the ground using these deep vibrations. People can also feel infrasound, like when they're near a big fan or a loud speaker that’s playing really low music.

Infrasound might even make you feel a little dizzy or tired if it's strong enough, just like how being too close to a very loud noise can feel overwhelming!