The fantastically named Hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni is an ancient underground complex in Malta that has some truly mind-bending qualities. When some construction workers stumbled across it in 1902, the first thing they did was inexplicably try to hide their find. The second thing they did was step over the deformed skeletons of over 7,000 people collected by the entrance, and head on in to explore the creepy underground labyrinth which may-or-may-not have been harbouring an ancient race of mole people (it wasnt, youll be pleased to know). It was then that they discovered that the underground chambers were way more than they seemed. The creators seemingly had such an advanced knowledge of acoustics that their voices reverberated powerfully throughout the entire complex when they stood in front of a specific spot. What is even more impressive is that this effect only happens to male voices, the chambers are so finely tuned that only sounds with a register of 95 to 120 Hz will produce the effect. It has also been discovered that by chanting at around 110 Hz in these chambers can stimulate the parts of the brain involved in creativity, producing a trance like, almost hallucinogenic state. But were this just places for crazy ancient priests to go and trip balls, or did they have another purpose? There are many theories. Some people hypothesise that the ancient Maltese may have been experimenting with a technology that is currently being explored by 21st century scientists: Sonic manipulation. That is manipulating material objects using sound waves, perhaps even producing effects of levitation and destruction of objects. Whatever they were doing, a spooky sound chamber filled with skeletons and ancient technology sounds like the perfect destination for our next summer holiday.
