The Golden Gate Bridge was silent for 83 years. Silent against the wind, silent under the weight of millions of vehicles and people. Until one day in June 2020, when it started to sing.

 

The eerie humming sound was loud and inescapable, and it took San Francisco by surprise. Everyone wanted to know: what was this sound? What was causing it? Today on Abridged: a sonic investigation into what happens when our built world gets a voice of its own.

 

Abridged is produced, sound designed, and mixed by Rebecca Seidel. The executive producers are Ian Enright and Megan Nadolski at Goat Rodeo.

 

Learn more about Emily Shaw on her website, and listen to her new podcast Candy Ears here. One episode features her full recording of the Golden Gate Bridge hum; you can hear that here.

Subscribe to Abridged on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast platform of choice. And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review to share the love.

Follow Becca and get in touch if you have a bridge story of your own.

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