Noisy neighbour? Why sounds from upstairs are even more annoying

Whether it's a new neighbour moving in, or your sister dancing to Taylor Swift, most of us will have had to contend with bothersome noises coming from upstairs.

Many find such sounds from above so annoying, that they even outweigh the goings-on right next to them - and new research has a theory as to why. Led by Markus Mueller-Trapet, a team at the National Research Council of Canada set up a living room-like setting in which participants would sit and listen to typical upstairs noises.Those sounds were recorded, and then presented to the participants - taking part in several countries - using different playback techniques and virtual reality.

They were delivered so that the direction, frequency, and nature of the noises matched what you'd expect from an upstairs flat or bedroom, like sudden thuds and bangs.Branding them"impact sounds", Mr Mueller-Trapet says they are particularly aggravating as they are"impulsive". That means they consist of one or more distinct sounds of short duration - the neighbour dropping something as they move in, for example.Advertisement

Or your husband's new toy... A ham radio

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