Why do some buildings hum in high winds?
Skyscrapers have been known to make some interesting sounds.
Asked by: Natasha Jenkins, London
When the wind blows across a building with recesses, louvres or other architectural features, it can start to ‘hum’, like someone blowing across the top of a bottle or a reed.
For example, the 169m-tall Beetham Tower in Manchester makes a note just below middle C. To cure the noise, engineers have to make alterations to the mass and shape of the features that are causing the problem.
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Authors
Robert is a science writer and visiting professor of science at Aston University. He likes maths, West End musicals and hamsters.
