The concept of "noise colors" refers to the spectral characteristics of certain sound waves that repeat over specific time periods. These sounds are described as having a "stationary" nature, meaning they endure for some time rather than being singular occurrences.
Various types of color noise exist, each with unique features and impacts on the human psyche. One such type is "wildlife noise," which combines the rustling of leaves, the murmuring of streams, the rustling of grass, wind songs, and other natural sounds found in the woods, fields, and on the banks of rivers and waterfalls. This noise generates what is known as "green noise," with wave frequencies that fluctuate around 500 Hz (as described in Joseph S. Wisniewski's book "Colors of Noise"). Green noise is deemed the most beneficial to humans since its source is our natural environment.
Silence, or sound waves with the spectral characteristics of black holes, is referred to as "black noise." However, it is rare to encounter pure black noise on Earth, particularly for urban dwellers who are surrounded by constant noise and frequently experience a lack of silence.
The noise of the seas and oceans is known as "red noise," and it can be heard faintly as a distant hum while standing on the shore. "Orange noise" is characterized by zero energy and is present in musical notes. "White noise" refers to a definite signal of equal power at any frequency.
"Pink noise" is rhythmic or flickering noise that is present in the electromagnetic activity of the brain, the beating of the heart, and the emission of stars. "Brown noise" features an oscillating frequency that resembles chaotic Brownian motion, with sound wave power decreasing by 6 decibels per octave at different frequencies.
"Blue" and "purple" noises are defined by a complex pattern of sound vibrations, and they are virtually never found in nature in their pure form. They are created artificially under laboratory conditions. "Gray noise" is formed by blending brown and purple and is perceived by the human ear as a uniform hum, despite pronounced dips in sound waves in the middle frequencies.
The impact of noise colors on humans varies. While some noise colors found in nature, such as green noise, are beneficial to the psyche, others can have adverse effects on a person. In cases of nervous exhaustion, doctors often recommend individuals to seek out areas of silence and rest while listening to the sounds of nature. Ultimately, understanding the intricacies of noise colors can provide insight into how they affect the human experience.
In the year 2014, the U.S. Senate granted permission for the release of the CIA Interrogation Manual, a fascinating document that divulged the employment of sound as one of several methods of psychological disintegration that CIA agents use on prisoners.
The employment of torture through sound entails the implementation of "white noise" that, when measured, does not typically cause any harm to the individual. Nevertheless, if a prisoner is subjected to incessant hissing, crackling, and disconcerting rustling - otherwise known as white noise - for an extended period of time, they start to gradually, yet irrevocably, descend into madness.
There can be no extremes! Absolute silence, much like excessive noise, is no less deleterious to the body. This form of torture, known as "sensory deprivation," consists of depriving the prisoner of any input from their surroundings. The person is kept in pitch darkness and silence, often restrained so that they cannot even feel the walls or floor.
The absence of any sensory information drives the individual insane. They lose touch with reality, and their biological clock is thrown into disarray. After a few weeks, the prisoner is so physically weakened that they can hardly move their limbs. Visual and auditory hallucinations torment them. Prolonging this torture can lead to complete madness and even death.
In 2007, the American José Padilla was subjected to torture by silence as he was suspected of terrorist activities by U.S. authorities. Padilla underwent sensory deprivation in a military prison for several weeks. Following the torture, the prisoner perceived his lawyer as a figment of his fevered imagination.
After the ordeal, Padilla was incapable of withholding anything from the CIA officers, ultimately leading to the proof of his guilt. For cooperating with al-Qaida, Padilla was sentenced to 17 years in prison. The prosecution had initially demanded a life sentence. However, the judge deemed the conditions of José's incarceration in a military prison to be mitigating circumstances and therefore reduced the sentence to 17 years.
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