It was 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, when the noise was heard that shook Michiana (see related map). From Warsaw to Nappanee, Goshen, North Manchester and even Sturgis, Mich. Those that heard the sound described it as being similar to the sound of an explosion, causing windows and homes to shake around the county and beyond.

Though many heard the sounds, the cause of the “boom” has yet to be determined. With hundreds curious as to what the sound was, many have taken to theorizing and researching what the answer could be.

Polar Shift

According to PoleShift.Ning.Com, a website dedicated to discussing and researching shifts in poles and the effects of plate movement. Reports of booming sounds have been noted in Britain, New York, Iowa and more. Sounds reported have varied from drum-like booming noises to multi-tonal horns or rushing, howling sounds.

According to PoleShift.Ning.com, “These booms are caused by one of several phenomena, all related to plate stress and adjustment. One result is that due to an adjustments elsewhere. A ripple travels through the land, the type of ripple that many report seeing during an earthquake. Close to the epicenter of an earthquake, such ripples are waves of land (above or below the waves). The troughs are deep, the crests high, and land is seen rumpling up many feet into the air and traveling during earthquakes, a horrifying view. The farther from the epicenter the more spread out the waves, so the crests and troughs are slight and the waves have a long distance from each other. This causes one type of boom, where a dropping or heaving ground causes the air above to clap as it rushes to fill a void.”

Frost Quake

A frost quake is among the many theories of what caused the boom. According to Christian Science Monitor, frost quakes are a rare, natural phenomenon that happen when moisture in the ground suddenly freezes and expands. If conditions are just right, the soil or bedrock breaks like a “brittle frozen pipe.” CSM reports that this phenomenon can create sharp cracking sounds that are sometimes mistaken for falling trees.

Scientists say the community experienced a rare natural phenomenon known as a “frost quake,” which happens when moisture in the ground suddenly freezes and expands. If conditions are just right, the soil or bedrock breaks like a brittle frozen pipe, generating mysterious noises that range from an earthquake-like rumble to sharp cracking sounds sometimes mistaken for falling trees.

Meteor Shower

According to WSBT, some local scientists reportedly believe a meteor shower may be responsible for the noise and lights reported.

“Some local scientists believe a large meteor shower that peaked around 9 p.m. Saturday may be the culprit, but Penn Harris Madison astronomy instructor Art Klinger says he’s skeptical,” states WSBT. “‘A larger rock coming in, a stray asteroid going across the sky could have very easily produced a sound like that,” Klinger said, noting he doesn’t believe that’s what happened.'”

WSBT notes that though some reported seeing a flash in the sky, due to cloudy weather the meteor theory is difficult to prove.