Modern Mysteries

Mysterious booms rattle homes in Oklahoma

By T.K. Randall
January 11, 2015 ·  38 comments

The sounds could be heard over a large area of the state. Image Credit: CC BY 2.0 Nicholas A. Tonelli Residents of central Oklahoma reported hearing loud noises on Thursday and Friday as the region was rocked by a series of booming sounds that rattled homes and startled livestock.

"We thought some nut was out here, you know, with explosives," said Anthony Young who lives on the outskirts of Oklahoma City.

"It sounded like thunder, you could feel the ground shake, but it was nothing like an earthquake."Geological Survey research seismologist Austin Holland confirmed that no earthquakes had occurred in the area and that the sounds were unlikely to have been produced by drilling or fracking.

One theory put forward suggested that the booms had been caused by a phenomenon known as a "frost quake", which occurs when water quickly freezes in soil or rock and then expands, however meteorologist Matthew Day believes that this explanation is unlikely.

"There's not enough moisture, and the temperatures are not cold enough," he said.

"We don't know what it was, we just know what it is not."

Source: Phys.org | Comments (38)

Tags: Booms, Explosions