There is little worse than trying to sleep when a car alarm or barking dogs seem intent on disturbing your sleep. For residents of Windsor, Ontario, a strange and relentless noise has been plaguing residents for seven years.

No one has been able to identify the source of the oddity, which has been attributed to affecting mental and physical health, scaring pets, and being a constant source of frustration to the folk of Windsor. Many have taken to exploring the possibilities of jumping ship or searching the Vancouver Real Estate Market for a better life. Escaping the strange sound - which has been described as distant thunder or a subwoofer at a concert – seems the only option.

The ‘Windsor Hum’ is something which has bewildered many in the city, with more and more residents developing their own theories on the issue. The Canadian government and the University of Windsor have also dedicated time to researching the cause of the modern-day mystery which has severely affected residents. From government experiments to alien activity, the potential source of this low droning sound has attracted many different beliefs, and a Facebook page is frequented daily by many in the city at wit’s end.

What is unique about the hum is that not all residents are affected by it. Tim Carpenter, a former geotechnical engineering, and machine vibrations specialist who is an administrator on the Facebook page, spoke to The New York Times on the issue:

“It’s as if you had a fire hose moving back and forth and the people who have the water falling on them hear the noise, and if you’re outside that stream, you don’t hear the noise,” he said.

The University of Windsor claimed that the hum’s most logical source was a result of blast furnace operations on Zug Island. Professor Colin Novak, who acted as a senior researcher on the project, claimed in an interview in 2014 with CBS News that it would take more time to pinpoint the exact cause of the phenomenon.

A similar type of sound has also been reported in a number of countries across the world, including the UK, Austria, India and even New Mexico, USA. These mass reported cases involving a droning or trumpet sound have also gone unexplained. As residents upload videos to social media in the hope of pinpointing the source of the mystery hums, there seems to be little in the way of explanation.

When it comes to the ‘Windsor Hum,’ many believe that it is, in fact, the small piece of land across the Detroit River -Zug Island - which is the culprit. A US Steel Mill operates here, and is heavily restricted, adding to the conspiracy theories pertaining to the operation. When it comes to how this will affect residents selling their homes, there is worry that these issues will be off-putting to buyers.

Those who tend to lean towards a more paranormal explanation for the sounds cite the island’s history as a Native American burial ground as the possible cause. It is more likely that the heavy industrial activity is behind the problem for Canadian residents, but for now, this will remain a mystery.