There is a point in the "center of the universe" in the United States where a strange sound anomaly operates. Video

Optical illusions have long played an important role in the lives of those who enjoy various mysteries that play with your eyes and brain. But even more interesting are acoustic anomalies, especially those that were formed by chance and whose nature cannot be fully explained.

One of these anomalies is located in the American city of Tulsa (Oklahoma) and has a rather loud name - "Center of the Universe". The anomaly itself has existed for quite some time, but was not so popular outside the state until it was shown in the crime series "King of Tulsa" starring Sylvester Stallone.

The anomaly is located on a pedestrian bridge in Tulsa and is marked by a small dark circle on the sidewalk, around which is a larger concrete circle surrounded by flower beds and benches. It all forms a kind of circle.

The anomalous point itself is quite small - only about 76 centimeters, and the wider circle is about 2.5 meters in diameter.

The anomaly is that when you stand in the small dark center and start talking, miracles happen to your voice. In particular, no matter how loudly you speak, your voice will come back to you in a greatly amplified echo.

Similar anomalies are also observed in amphitheaters or rooms with a special structure and a domed ceiling. In particular, this is how the sound anomaly in St. Paul's Cathedral in London, known as the Whispering Gallery, works. There, a quiet voice of a person standing on one side of the cathedral travels to the other side of the cathedral thanks to a huge dome.

But the sound anomaly in Tulsa is special because there is no dome or roof there, so it is not fully understood why the voice is reflected from the flower beds and benches, but not lost in space. You can see exactly what it looks like in real life in the video.

What causes the sound anomaly

There have been no in-depth studies of this anomaly, but it nevertheless surprises both casual passersby and people who know about physics. It is believed that the reason for the strange echo is that the flowerbeds and benches around the circle act as parabolic reflectors - they reflect sound waves and amplify them, returning them back to the center of the anomaly, creating an amazing effect.

A kind of sound bubble is formed there, the existence of which is ensured by flower beds of different heights. When the person standing in the center of the anomaly starts to speak, the sound first falls to the ground, but reflecting off the concrete flower beds, it rises up and forms a bubble, returning the sound wave to its original source - the person in the center. Still, it is unclear why those who are not in the center do not hear the loud echo.

According to various versions that can be found online, the anomaly was either created by accident when the builders completed the architectural project or was deliberately designed by one of the engineers from Oklahoma State University. There is no exact data on this.

"The Tulsa Center of the Universe even has its own page on the popular travel website Tripadvisor. Visitors rated it 4 out of 5 points, noting that it can be an interesting experience if it is not too crowded.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA told about the mysterious "magic circles" that were found in 15 countries on three continents.

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