Getting Goosebumps? Science may explain why

Feeling scared? Getting goosebumps? Science may very well explain the reason behind the sometimes unexpected sadness, fear or joy surrounding you.

The obsession with this paranormal phenomenon has been around ever since man learnt the ethics of proper behavior and started living in societies. From dull apparitions to UFOs, from witches and zombies to the 'fairy-like' vampires today, they all were, and are popular today, and for a reason.

We all love those goosebump moments, those moments of spookiness or excitement that give us a tingle in the spine.

This is probably why paranormal researchers exist today, trying to find proof of the spectral phenomenon, and scare us a bit more. And, though science couldn't really digest the idea of 'ghosts' being electromagnetic energies, and discarded these theories, there's one stunning discovery science had made, half a century ago.

In the year 1950, Vladimir Gavreau, while working in his robotics laboratory, noticed that one of his assistants was bleeding from the ears. Surprised, he then started researching the reason behind such an unexpected event, and asked his assistants to hold vibrating pipes near their ears.

Though he couldn't think of a valid reason to give to his assistants about the 'bleeding ears,' he could link the unpleasant effects of sound to the human body.

Though humans cannot hear low frequency sounds, they can still sense it. This infrasound actually creates havoc with the human emotions, making us exhibit unexplained and unexpected behavior. Specifically, sounds between 7 and 19 Hz are known to induce the feeling of dread, fear and panic among people. Now that pretty much explains the pit-in-the-stomach feeling and those goosebumps during a horror movie. Doesn't it?

To confirm Vladimir's experiments and assumptions, scientists sneaked in low-frequency sounds at a live concert. Soon enough, there was a clear transformation of emotions that could be noticed in people at the concert, and most of them turned from unbearably happy and joyful to twinge in sadness and gripped with fear. Cool scientists, huh?

And it's not just a bunch of mad scientists creating these spooky ultrasounds that give you the goosebumps; Mother Nature has had this weapon all the time. Strong ocean waves, volcanoes and earthquakes are known to emit this ultrasound frequency. Even animals, especially the tiger, emit these ultrasounds, explaining why some humans experience a wet-pant moment so easily when they confront this beast.

So the next time you get the goosebumps rising, and can't shake off the scary feeling, simply grab a pair of earplugs and carry on.