
Infrasound Exposure Is Linked to Aversive Responding, Negative Appraisal, and Elevated Salivary Cortisol in Humans
Kale R. Scatterty, Dawson VonStein
Sound frequencies below the threshold of human hearing — infrasound — are generated by traffic, HVAC systems, industrial equipment, and wind. This 2026 double-blind study finds that even when participants cannot consciously detect infrasound, exposure measurably raises cortisol levels and increases self-reported irritability. The effect occurred without participant awareness, ruling out expectancy as an explanation.
