A strange sound has haunted a New Mexico town for decades.
Learning Objective: to understand how a writer uses dashes, then compose sentences using dashes
Taos, a small town in northern New Mexico, is a peaceful place. It’s nestled among the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where the smoky smell of sagebrush perfumes the air and the vast blue sky seems to go on forever.
But the quiet beauty has been disrupted by a noisy mystery: the Taos Hum.
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Taos Pueblo
Taos is known for its adobe buildings—including these in Taos Pueblo. This settlement, about 2 miles from Taos, has been home to Pueblo Indians for more than 1,000 years.
A Disturbing Sound
The Taos Hum is a low-pitched sound that has been bothering some residents for the past 30 years. But no one can figure out where the sound comes from or why only certain people can hear it.
Those who detect the hum—about 2 percent of residents—hear it at least once a week. They say it’s loudest when they are inside their homes at night. The sound has been compared to a truck rumbling, a dishwasher whirring, and bees buzzing. The hum has even been said to cause dizziness and headaches.
The first report of the hum appeared in a local newspaper in the early 1990s, with one resident complaining about a disturbing sound. Others wrote in saying they heard the noise too—and they demanded to know its source.
Many theories were offered to explain the hum—drilling, a generator, a secret government project, even aliens. In 1993, New Mexico lawmakers decided to send a team of sound experts to Taos to investigate.
Powerful Shaking
In Taos, scientists used special devices to pick up sounds that typically can’t be heard by humans—like the sound of Earth’s vibrations. The devices were placed in homes and at outdoor locations.
At one point, powerful shaking was recorded. Had the experts cracked the case? Nope. It turned out to be an unhappy gopher moving the sound equipment out of its burrow.
In the end, the experts were left puzzled, says Rod Whitaker of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, a scientist who studied the hum. “We cannot identify the origin,” he says.
The Mystery Continues
Taos Hum Hot Sauce
Taos is not the only place that’s humming. Similar sounds have been reported across the United States, as well as in Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
In some cases, the sounds have been explained. In Kokomo, Indiana, for example, a hum was traced to giant fans at a factory that makes car parts. But there are many places where the source of the hum remains a mystery, like in Taos.
Meanwhile, Taos residents have decided that if you can’t silence the hum, you might as well market it. A popular local hot sauce is called Taos Hum. Each bottle is labeled with a plea: “Make it stop!”
Write Like a Pro Challenge
Take what you’ve learned and apply it to your own writing. Write a note for a friend’s yearbook about an experience you shared during the past school year. Use at least two dashes.
This article was originally published in the May 2024 issue.
1. PREPARE TO READ (5 MINUTES)
2. READ AND DISCUSS (25 MINUTES)
Have students read the article and the explanations in the tan circles with a partner.
Optionally, before students complete the Write Like a Pro Challenge, work together to write some sentences that contain dashes. Project the following pairs of sentences, then have students combine them using a dash.
1. Emphasize a word or a phrase:
She finally realized the truth. Darth Vader was her father.
2. Set off additional information in the middle of a sentence:
The recipe called for unique ingredients to create its signature flavor. It called for dandelion greens and raisins.
3. Introduce a list at the end of a sentence:
I have four pets. I have a dog, two fish, and a rat.
4. Introduce an example:
Keith loves fruit desserts. For example, he likes apple pie
Answers:
1. She finally realized the truth—Darth Vader was her father.
2. The recipe called for unique ingredients—dandelion greens and raisins—to create its signature flavor.
3. I have four pets—a dog, two fish, and a rat
4. Keith loves fruit desserts—like apple pie.
3. Optionally, provide students with the Anchor Chart: Dashes to use and keep as a handy reference in their notebooks.
3. WRITE (25 MINUTES)
Have students work in pairs or independently to take the Write Like a Pro Challenge on page 31 of the printed magazine or at the bottom of the digital story page:
Take what you’ve learned and apply it to your own writing. Write a note for a friend’s yearbook about an experience you shared during the past school year. Use at least two dashes.Introduce the theme of your dance using a colon.
Project students’ notes on your whiteboard and discuss the ways they used dashes. Alternatively, have students exchange and discuss their sentences with a partner.
