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Residents of Tampa express conflicting opinions of a mysterious and bothersome noise that they can’t figure out. Some theories involve a party boat, a secret military base, or even aliens as the source.
The urban mystery has interfered intermittently since 2021.
Noise complaints have been filed with the local police. No one can pinpoint the exact cause, but agree it’s problematic.
Many describe the noise as a deep sound accompanied by a low vibration. One active community sleuth, Sara Healy, spoke to NPR.
If you’ve ever been close to a subwoofer or something at a big concert, you just feel that vibration, you know, in your core.
Surprisingly, the neighbors learned from a local scientist that the noise could be explained as the mating sounds from black drum fish. “This is a pretty uncommon phenomenon,” said James Locascio. “All these people are surprised by it because it’s not well known.”
The neighbors asked for Locascio’s help to confirm or deny the source. Locascio works as a fisheries program manager for the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida.