Brontides: noises from out of nowhere

[Still Waters]

Brontides, deep booming noises without any defined source, are audio cryptids. Have you heard one?

Some people call them Barisal Guns, because they are often heard in Barisal, near the Bay of Bengal. New Yorkers also hear them, although they call them Guns of Seneca, after Seneca Lake. Other people call them mistpouffers, or fog guns, when they boom in misty areas.

Brontides are characterized by their deep percusive sounds, and the fact that they always sound very far away. People all over the world report hearing these things, but a conclusive answer as to what they are has never been reached.

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[Sir Wearer of Hats]

According to Stephen Fry and QI, they could be scrimp clacking their claws. Shoals of scrimp the size of Sydney Harbour.

[Druidus-Logos]

Intriguing...

[Oppono Astos]

Research by the University of Bristol into the nocturnal booms over Southern Britain in 1976-77 concluded that they were refracted sonic booms from Concorde as it went supersonic west of the UK - quite how only Concorde caused these and why it only occurred during a period of 2 calendar years was never explained.

Despite correspondence with the researchers it was never made clear just how a sonic double-boom became refracted/split into a single boom that was only audible within a very small area at ground level (less than 5km and at times less than 1km); the effects could be very localized - a boom would be audible here but could rattle everything in a house only 100m away; they clearly originated in a very specific point in the sky, with no obvious cause or source. Here they occurred at 2120 on 7 successive Monday evenings but then became random although always at night - yes they ceased being regular/repeatable as soon as I tried to record them! Neighboring villages around here would hear booms on different nights at different times; and on one occasion the local RAF base had a major terrorist/bomb alert caused by one of these booms.

[Conspiracy_Fogle]

This might be a little off subject, but it made me think of what I have heard.

In that relaxed state of mind, just between sleep and reality, when you first fall asleep but still aware of your surroundings, is when I have heard a noise out of nowhere. Three times this has happened to me. It sounds as if someone fired a shotgun right next to you. The noise is so loud and terrifying that you can't help but to jump and be scared to the point your heart is racing! I've jumped out of bed, turned on lights, and looked around... Nothing to be found. No one else in the house apparently can hear this noise when it happens.

This ever happen to anyone else?

[Emin]

That is interesting, i think what they should probably try to do is to determine the origin or the source of the sound using some type of audio device for this purpose, as well to see where most of it sounds loudest and what sort of sound or natural occurences could it possibly be referenced to as well. However very curious it sounds to me. Hmmmm..