For 33 years, a ’true story’ concerning the resonant frequency of a chicken’s skull cavity documented in an MS-DOS help file has fueled an urban legend suggesting that a specific sound wavelength could cause chicken heads to explode. This claim, originating from Borland C++ Turbo, has sparked intriguing discussions and skepticism.

The Origin of the Legend

In 2022, we highlighted a related story about how Janet Jackson’s song ‘Rhythm Nation’ inadvertently created issues for laptops that relied on 5,400 RPM 2.5-inch hard drives. When this song was played nearby, it led to malfunctions within these devices, prompting Microsoft to program a solution into Windows XP.

Consequently, it led to questions: could sound actually explode a chicken’s head? A comment on the 2022 blog referenced the meat of the legend highlighting that “7 Hz is the resonant frequency of a chicken’s skull cavity”. Following this, internet searches and discussions turned this myth into a widely circulated tale, setting the stage for many queries and challenges on forums like Reddit and Hacker News over the years.

Evidence from Borland Turbo C++

To verify the story’s authenticity, an emulated copy of Turbo C++ 3.0, released in 1991, showed an explanation of a ‘sound’ function that emitted a tone of 7 Hz for 10 seconds. The documentation implied, “True story: 7 Hz is the resonant frequency of a chicken’s skull cavity.” This had purportedly been demonstrated in Australia, where a factory generating such tones was too close to a chicken ranch, claiming many chickens died afterward.

Many then concluded the myth was merely speculative fiction—as various experts and developers debunked the claims that a specific frequency could result in such outcomes.

Ongoing Debate

Despite the debunking, the story remains a favorite among computer lore circles. The ongoing fascination stems from the intersection of technology and anecdotal superstitions, creating a timeless dialogue that encourages both skepticism and charm in equal measure.