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Microwave auditory effect

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The microwave auditory effect, also known as the microwave hearing effect or the Frey effect, consists of audible clicks induced by pulsed/modulated microwave frequencies that are generated directly inside the human head without the need of any receiving electronic device. The effect was first reported by persons working in the vicinity of radar transponders during World War II. These induced sounds are not audible to other nearby people. The microwave auditory effect was later discovered to be inducible with shorter-wavelength portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. During the Cold War era, the American neuroscientist Allan H. Frey studied this phenomenon and was the first to publish (1961) information on the nature of the microwave auditory effect; this effect is therefore also known as the Frey effect.

Research by NASA in the 1970s showed that this effect occurs as a result of thermal expansion of parts of the human ear around the cochlea, even at low power density. Later, signal modulation was found to produce sounds or words that appeared to originate intracranially. It was studied for its possible use in communications but has not been developed due to the possible hazardous biological effects of microwave radiation. Similar research conducted in the USSR studied its use in non-lethal weaponry.

Some conspiracy theorists have supposed that this effect is used for mind control. They claim patent US3951134 (Malech; April 20, 1976) is for this purpose.

Natural sources of electromagnetic perception

For centuries, humans have reported hearing unexplained noises in conjunction with meteors. Astronomer Edmund Halley collected several such accounts after a widely-observed meteor burned up in the sky over England . The Leonid meteor shower in November 2001 also led to many reports of observers hearing crackling or fizzing noises. Similar observations have been reported by soldiers near the site of nuclear explosions. Reports of "thunder-like sounds" at the scene of the Tunguska meteorite on June 30 1908 might also be explained by this phenomenon.

Colin Keay, a physicist at the University of Newcastle in Australia, has advanced a hypothesis that purports to explain these phenomena. Meteor trails give off very low frequency (VLF) radio signals. Since the human ear cannot sense these signals directly, Keay reasons that a transducer on the ground must be converting the radio waves into sound waves. He has produced experiments that demonstrate that materials as commonplace as aluminum foil, thin wires, pine needles, and wire-framed glasses can act as suitable transducers. Powerful VLF waves can induce physical vibrations in these objects, which are transmitted to the air as sound waves. Keay defines the field of geophysical electrophonics as "the production of audible noises of various kinds through direct conversion by transduction of very low frequency electromagnetic energy generated by a number of geophysical phenomena." It is thought that electrophonic effects may also be caused by lightning strikes, very bright auroras, and earthquakes.

Electroreception has also been studied in the animal world. Ritz et al., in "A Model for Photoreceptor-Based Magnetoreception in Birds", hypothesize that transduction of the Earth's geomagnetic field is responsible for the magnetoreception systems of birds. Specifically, they propose that this transduction may take place in a class of photoreceptors known as cryptochromes.

References:

Full spectrum electromagnetic perception

In general, by scanning the full spectrum of the electromagnetic frequencies, it appears that the shorter the wavelength, the higher the limit of resolution of the EMF carrier, thus allowing ever increased physiological effect in the exposed subject.

  • Starting with the well documented microwaves, where the effect is due to the induction of thermoelastic waves by radio frequencies pulses at a boundary between the tissues of dissimilar dielectric properties within the head, with propagation of the waves to the auditory system.
  • X-rays were known to induce visual effect since their discovery in 1895 as reported by G. Brandes in the form of an uniform blue-gray glow that might be explained today as the result of direct excitation of retinal nerve cells. These wavelengths might already allow the direct discrimination of individual synapses.
  • Gamma rays were first reported to cause visual perception of flashes of light during the Apollo program. Indeed, astronauts en route for the Moon were subject to cosmic rays bombardments, inducing some Cherenkov effect in the fluid of their eyeballs. It is not excluded that the same effect might occur when a gamma ray strikes a neuron or a synapse and inducing a photoelectric effect. In addition, gamma ray wavelengths might even allow the direct discrimination of individual neurotransmitters.

Other possible natural carriers

Finally, subatomic particle size carriers such as neutrinos, muons, pions, energetic particles originating outside of the Earth composing cosmic rays including electrons, protons, and atomic nuclei, or fast moving alpha rays or beta rays might be neural firing capable through the Cherenkov effect. Their inherent smaller size allow of course an individual targeting of neurotransmitters.


Neutrino interaction with matter occurs through the well known inverse beta decay. Basically inverse beta decay is just the reverse of regular beta decay or positron emission:

n → p + e − + ν ¯ e {\displaystyle \mathrm {n} \rightarrow \mathrm {p} +\mathrm {e} ^{-}+{\bar {\nu }}_{e}}
p → n + e + + ν e {\displaystyle \mathrm {p} \rightarrow \mathrm {n} +\mathrm {e} ^{+}+{\nu }_{e}}

The neutrinos are absorbed by protons and transformed into neutrons and positrons:

ν ¯ e + p → n + e + {\displaystyle {\bar {\nu }}_{e}+\mathrm {p} \rightarrow \mathrm {n} +\mathrm {e} ^{+}}

Neutrino interactions with protons of the water produce positrons. The resulting positron annihilations with electrons create photons with an energy of about 0.5 MeV (in the gamma rays):

e + + e − → γ {\displaystyle \mathrm {e} ^{+}+\mathrm {e} ^{-}\rightarrow \gamma \,}

The neutrons captured by nuclei result in additional gamma rays of about 8 MeV a few microseconds after the photons from the above positron annihilation event.

Moreover, positrons in water produce photons through the Cherenkov effect.

Therefore, if all these photons are generated inside a neuron or synapse, a thermal effect might occur, leading to a final neural firing.


  • Muon decay: a way to remotely deliver an electric charge.

As demonstrated by Luigi Galvani in 1871, when an electric charge is applied to a neural cell, there is a neural firing.

One century latter, by 1970, a way to remotely conduct the same Galvani experiment has been made possible, this time neither with an electrostatic machine (a device for making sparks) nor a Leyden jar, but with the use of a long range carrier, able to penetrate building materials, layers of metal and some depth of soil and water.

Muons have a lifetime of 2.20 µs (microseconds). A muon decays into an electron and two neutrinos:

μ − → e − + ν μ + ν ¯ e {\displaystyle \mu ^{-}\rightarrow \mathrm {e} ^{-}+\nu _{\mu }+{\bar {\nu }}_{e}}

This means it is indeed possible to send first a highly penetrating beam of muons through layers of buildings, that then decays into electric charges (electrons) upon arrival at the surface of a neuron, electronic circuits or any object, provided there is a good timing.

Note that the anti-muon decays into a positron and two neutrinos:

μ + → e + + ν ¯ μ + ν e {\displaystyle \mu ^{+}\rightarrow \mathrm {e} ^{+}+{\bar {\nu }}_{\mu }+\nu _{e}}

The resulting positrons annihilation with electrons create photons with an energy of about 0.5 MeV (in the gamma rays):

e + + e − → γ {\displaystyle \mathrm {e} ^{+}+\mathrm {e} ^{-}\rightarrow \gamma \,}

As a result, if all these photons are generated inside a neuron or synapse, a thermal effect might occur, leading to a final neural firing.


  • Pion decays: two ways to remotely induce neural firings.

Pions are certainly of great interest since they offer possibly two different ways to remotely induce neural firings.

First are the positive and negative pions. The positive and negative pions have longer lifetimes of about 2.6 × 10 seconds. The main decay mode is into a muon and a neutrino:

π + → μ + + ν μ {\displaystyle \pi ^{+}\to \mu ^{+}+\nu _{\mu }\,}
π − → μ − + ν ¯ μ {\displaystyle \pi ^{-}\to \mu ^{-}+{\bar {\nu }}_{\mu }\,}

As previously discussed, both should be able to remotely induce neural firings.

Second is the neutral pion. The neutral pion decays to an electron, positron, and gamma ray by the electromagnetic interaction on a time scale of about 10 seconds. The final product is two photons:

π 0 → 2 γ {\displaystyle \pi ^{0}\to 2\gamma \,}

Through the well documented thermal effect, if this happens inside a neuron or a synapse, this should be enough to produce a neural firing.

Since the neutral pion has no electric charge, the path is even more precise and totally linear, without the scattering and ionizations that typically affects the positive and negative pions as they pass through layers of air, buildings and soil.

Primary Cold War-era research in the US

The first American to publish on the microwave hearing effect was Allan H. Frey, in 1961. In his experiments, the subjects were discovered to be able to hear appropriately pulsed microwave radiation, from a distance of 100 meters from the transmitter. This was accompanied by side effects such as dizziness, headaches, and a pins and needles sensation.

Sharp and Grove soon developed for the Advanced Research Projects Agency at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, receiverless wireless voice transmission application, in 1975.

Peaceful applications

Devices used for scaring birds away from aircraft near airfields by microwave hearing and induction of vertigo exist (Kreithen ML. Patent #5774088 “Method and system for warning birds of hazards” USPTO granted 6/30/98).

But the majority of applications are dedicated for direct machine to brain wireless communication, with numerous patents.

Weaponization

It is alleged that researches where also conducted in the US to study its use in non-lethal weaponry. While the USSR is supposed to have concentrated their effort in the microwave band of the spectrum, frequencies that can be easily thwarted with conventional EMF shielding like Faraday Cage or Tempest, it is highly suspected that the US might have explored and mastered more exotic, ground penetrating, metal penetrating long range carriers, possibly neutrinos, muons or pions, allowing by the same time the achievement of even higher limit of resolution.

Patented applications

  • Flanagan GP. Patent #3393279 “Nervous System Excitation Device” USPTO granted 7/16/68.
  • Puharich HK and Lawrence JL. Patent #3629521 “Hearing systems” USPTO granted 12/21/71.
  • Malech RG. Patent #3951134 “Apparatus and method for remotely monitoring and altering brain waves” USPTO granted 4/20/76.
  • Stocklin PL. Patent #4858612 “Hearing device” USPTO granted 8/22/89.
  • Brunkan WB. Patent #4877027 “Hearing system” USPTO granted 10/31/89.
  • Thijs VMJ. Application #WO1992NL0000216 “Hearing Aid Based on Microwaves” World Intellectual Property Organization Filed 1992-11-26, Published 1993-06-10.
  • Mardirossian A. Patent #6011991 “Communication system and method including brain wave analysis and/or use of brain activity” USPTO granted 1/4/00.

See also

References

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  • A.H. Frey. "Human auditory system response to modulated electromagnetic energy." J Applied Physiol 17 (4): 689-92, 1962.
  • A.H. Frey. "Behavioral Biophysics" Psychol Bull 63(5): 322-37, 1965.
  • F.A. Giori and A.R. Winterberger. "Remote Physiological Monitoring Using a Microwave Interferometer", Biomed Sci Instr 3: 291-307, 1967.
  • A.H. Frey and R. Messenger. "Human Perception of Illumination with Pulsed Ultrahigh-Frequency Electromagnetic Energy", Science 181: 356-8, 1973.
  • R. Rodwell. "Army tests new riot weapon", New Scientist Sept. 20, p 684, 1973.
  • A.W. Guy, C.K. Chou, J.C. Lin, and D. Christensen. "Microwave induced acoustic effects in mammalian auditory systems and physical materials", Annals of New York Academy of Sciences, 247:194-218, 1975.
  • D.R. Justesen. "Microwaves and Behavior", Am Psychologist, 392(Mar): 391-401, 1975.
  • S.M. Michaelson. "Sensation and Perception of Microwave Energy", In: S.M. Michaelson, M.W. Miller, R. Magin, and E.L. Carstensen (eds.), Fundamental and Applied Aspects of Nonionizing Radiation. Plenum Press, New York, p 213-24, 1975.
  • E.S. Eichert and A.H. Frey. "Human Auditory System Response to Lower Power Density Pulse Modulated Electromagnetic Energy: A Search for Mechanisms", J Microwave Power 11(2): 141, 1976.
  • W. Bise. "Low power radio-frequency and microwave effects on human electroencephalogram and behavior”, Physiol Chem Phys 10(5): 387-98, 1978.
  • J.C. Lin. "Microwave Auditory Effects and Applications", Thomas, Springfield Ill, p 176, 1978.
  • P.L. Stocklin and B.F. Stocklin. "Possible Microwave Mechanisms of the Mammalian Nervous System", T-I-T J Life Sci 9: 29-51, 1979.
  • H. Frolich. "The Biological Effects of Microwaves and Related Questions", Adv Electronics Electron Physics 53: 85-152, 1980.
  • H. Lai. “Neurological Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation” In: J.C. Lin (ed.), Advances in Electromagnetic Fields in Living Systems vol 1, Plenum, NY & London, p 27-80, 1994.
  • R.C. Beason and P. Semm. "Responses of neurons to an amplitude modulated microwave stimulus", Neurosci Lett 333: 175-78, 2002.
  • J.A. Elder and C.K. Chou. "Auditory Responses to Pulsed Radiofrequency Energy", Bioelectromagnetics Suppl 8: S162-73, 2003.

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