(RightIsRight.co) – Many Americans enjoy getting away into nature, away from the hustle and bustle of regular life and the seemingly constant pull of technology. However, most usually end up back amongst their Wi-Fi and microwaves without too much complaining. But, those hoping to truly go off-grid may take a trip to the quietest place in America: Green Bank, West Virginia.
In 1957, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) built the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, now known as the Green Bank Observatory, in a small West Virginia town bordered by mountains near Virginia and Maryland. The following year, the agency declared the surrounding area a National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ) in order to regulate the use of electromagnetic waves near the center’s eight telescopes.
By limiting the use of electronics, including cell phones, Wi-Fi, and even garage door openers, the telescopes are able to pick up on the smallest energy wave in galaxies far, far away. Technology magazine WIRED took a deeper look at this fascinating place:
The National Radio Quiet Zone is a 13,000-square-mile swathe of shhh—a place where much of the technology Americans use on a daily basis is either prohibited or simply doesn't workhttps://t.co/0IgdM8orxO
— WIRED (@WIRED) May 8, 2018
Now, the area is home to a quirky mixture of people. Some residents moved to Green Bank to get away from the electromagnetic waves that plague nearly everyone’s daily life, while others simply enjoy the slower way of life before cell phones and the internet. However, these people intermingle daily with world-class physicists and researchers who head to Green Bank to catch a glimpse of something way out in outer space. But, all agree that it’s truly the quietest place in the US.
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