Sound Studies

There’s a song that’s been proven to reduce anxiety by 65%. It’s called Weightless by Macaroni Union, and it was specifically designed to slow your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and lower cortisol levels. It’s so effective that it’s dangerous to drive while listening to it because it can make you drowsy. Source Source 2 Source 3

It was one of the first Tumblr posts I favorited.

Sound therapists and Manchester band Marconi Union compiled the song. Scientists played it to 40 women and found it to be more effective at helping them relax than songs by Enya, Mozart and Coldplay. Weightless works by using specific rhythms, tones, frequencies and intervals to relax the listener. A continuous rhythm of 60 BPM causes the brainwaves and heart rate to synchronise with the rhythm: a process known as ‘entrainment’. Low underlying bass tones relax the listener and a low whooshing sound with a trance-like quality takes the listener into an even deeper state of calm. Dr David Lewis, one of the UK’s leading stress specialists said: “‘Weightless’ induced the greatest relaxation – higher than any of the other music tested. Brain imaging studies have shown that music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions.” The study - commissioned by bubble bath and shower gel firm Radox Spa - found the song was even more relaxing than a massage, walk or cup of tea. So relaxing is the tune, apparently, that people are being Rex advised against listening to it while driving. The top 10 most relaxing tunes were: 1. Marconi Union - Weightless 2. Airstream - Electra 3. DJ Shah - Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix) 4. Enya - Watermark 5. Coldplay - Strawberry Swing 6. Barcelona - Please Don’t Go 7. All Saints - Pure Shores 8. AdelevSomeone Like You 9. Mozart - Canzonetta Sull’aria 10. Cafe Del Mar - We Can Fly

One of the comments suggests pairing it with Rainymood.

The rifle, which was developed by law enforcement and the military, uses low frequency sounds, causing a ‘biological effect’ on the body, according the South China Morning Post.

Studies have shown deeper noises, or infrasounds, can cause anything from mild discomfort to  dizziness, vomiting, bowel spasms, organ damage and heart attacks, the publication reports.

The sonic weapon, which are typically mounted on vehicles, is hand-held and powered by gas which when heated will emit a deep and monotonous sound, the Chinese Academy of Sciences said.

The project, launched in 2017,  has been approved by Ministry of Science and Technology for mass production.

'The panel suggested that the fruit of the project should be transformed into practical equipment as soon as possible,’ Professor Xie Xiujuan, lead scientist on the project, told the publication.

It is not known when the weapon will be used by Chinese soldiers or law enforcement or if they will be used on anti-government protests in Hong Kong.

It comes after police have used non-lethal weapons to tackle protesters in the in the autonomous region of China after weeks of political unrest.

Riot police have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrations as violence escalated on the streets.

Hong Kong has been rocked by a series of anti-government protests for the past three months.