Mysterious Booms From the Sky Puzzle Scientists, Pointing to the Atmosphere — Not Earthquakes

For more than two centuries, reports of sudden, thunderous booms seemingly falling from the sky have unsettled communities across the world. Often described as sounding like explosions or distant earthquakes, the phenomenon—commonly known as “skyquakes”—has long defied clear explanation.

Now, a growing body of scientific research suggests that these enigmatic sounds are not linked to seismic activity, but rather to processes unfolding in the atmosphere above.

A team of researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recently conducted a detailed analysis of seismic and seismo-acoustic data gathered from the EarthScope Transportable Array, a network of more than 400 monitoring stations across the United States. Their work also incorporated hundreds of news reports documenting unexplained booms in North Carolina and elsewhere, alongside historical comparisons to events such as the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811–1812 and similar incidents recorded in early 2020.

The findings revealed no meaningful correlation between the reported sounds and earthquake activity.

“Broadly speaking, we believe this is an atmospheric phenomenon,” said Eli Bird, a researcher involved in the study, as quoted by IFLScience. “We don’t think these sounds originate from seismic sources. Our assumption is that they travel through the atmosphere rather than the ground.”

Presented at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting in 2020, the study identified infrasonic signals—low-frequency sound waves beyond the range of human hearing—lasting between one and ten seconds, coinciding with reported booms. Notably, these signals appeared without any accompanying seismic events.

Subsequent analyses, including comparative data reviewed through 2023, have reinforced the conclusion that skyquakes are more likely atmospheric in origin than geological.

Similar reports have surfaced in Indonesia, where the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, known as BMKG, has frequently received accounts of unexplained loud noises. A 2020 BMKG study focusing on Java found no evidence linking such sounds to tectonic plate movement.

Instead, the agency points to a range of possible atmospheric causes, including shock waves generated by meteoroids—known as bolides—burning up in the upper atmosphere, sonic booms from supersonic aircraft, and the long-distance propagation of sound through layered atmospheric conditions.

Scientists have also explored other possibilities. Among them: sonic booms produced by aircraft or rocket launches, meteors disintegrating high in the atmosphere without visible light, or natural phenomena such as the “Seneca Guns,” unexplained booming sounds reported near Seneca Lake, New York, since the 19th century.

Despite these hypotheses, no single explanation has yet accounted for all observed cases. Researchers emphasize the need for expanded infrasonic monitoring and improved satellite data to better trace the origins of these sounds.

Authorities, including BMKG, urge the public not to panic when such events occur. If loud booms are accompanied by vibrations or other unusual signs, residents are encouraged to report them promptly for verification.

While still shrouded in mystery, skyquakes are generally considered harmless—an unsettling reminder, perhaps, of how much remains unknown about the dynamic systems above our heads. []