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All the United States Oklahoma Tulsa The Center of the Universe

The Center of the Universe

An acoustic anomaly with a mysterious cause.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

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The Center of the Universe, Tulsa OK.   jill, jellidonut... whatever
The Center of the Universe, Tulsa OK.   jill, jellidonut... whatever
The Center of the Universe, Tulsa OK   jill, jellidonut... whatever
Looking down from the Center of the Universe.   Angela Severn
Artificial Cloud sculpture next to Center of the Universe.   jill, jellidonut... whatever
Center of the Universe - Downtown Tulsa, OK   snapshotfreak / Atlas Obscura User
Some graffit on the circle during this visit. [Taken April 2020]   donnatalarico / Atlas Obscura User
Artificial Cloud statue and circle  
Looking up at the Center of the Universe   Figgz / Atlas Obscura User
March 22, 2021   biodieselbarry / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Center of the Universe - Downtown Tulsa, OK   snapshotfreak / Atlas Obscura User
Center of Universe May 2021   JulsMaya / Atlas Obscura User
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  notoriousFIG / Atlas Obscura User
Center of the Universe in the middle of Oklahoma.   David Evers
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About

The so-called Center of the Universe in downtown Tulsa is marked by a small concrete circle in the middle of a larger circle of bricks. It's not much to look at, but looking isn't really the point.

The "Center of the Universe" is a little-known mysterious acoustic phenomenon. If you stand in the middle of the circle and make a noise, the sound is echoed back several times louder than it was made. It's your own private amplified echo chamber.

As the legend goes, a foghorn could be going off in the center of the circle and those on the outside wouldn’t hear it. This may be an exaggeration, but your voice does sound extremely distorted when heard from outside the circle. It's an incredible effect.

Like the Lake George Mystery Spot—another acoustical vortex that seems to defy the laws of physics—the effect is thought to be caused by the sound reflecting off a circular wall, in this case a nearby planter. Still, though many people have studied the cause of the odd anomaly there's no clear consensus. Whatever the causes of this natural sonic distortion may be, it is truly an amazing place.

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Geographic Markers Sounds Science Monuments

Know Before You Go

A brick path leads to the pedestrian bridge that goes over the railroad tracks, accessible from the corner of W. Archer St. and N. Boston Ave. It is located directly northwest of the old Union Train Depot (now the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame), and immediately north of the Williams Center Tower. A stone's throw away from the Center of the Universe is another Tulsa landmark, the "Artificial Cloud" statue.

Community Contributors

Edited By

shatomica, wrwilbanks, Meg, notoriousFIG...

  • shatomica
  • wrwilbanks
  • Meg
  • notoriousFIG
  • Collector of Experiences
  • leannatron
  • JulsMaya
  • donnatalarico
  • snapshotfreak
  • biodieselbarry
  • Figgz
  • c99j6hjh64

Published

October 6, 2016

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Sources
  • https://www.unbelievable-facts.com/2016/10/center-of-the-universe-tulsa.html
  • http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/how-was-the-center-of-the-universe-spot-in-downtown-tulsa-created
The Center of the Universe
20 E Archer St
Tulsa, Oklahoma
United States
36.156924, -95.991527
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