Faraway NASA Probe Detects the Eerie Hum of Interstellar Space

This undated artist's concept depicts NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft entering interstellar space, or the space between stars. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Handout/Reuters

WASHINGTON—The classic 1979 sci-fi horror film “Alien” was advertised with the memorable tagline, “In space no can hear you scream.” It did not say anything about humming.

Instruments aboard NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, which nine years ago exited our solar system’s outer reaches, have detected a faint monotonous hum caused by the constant vibrations of the small amounts of gas found in the near-emptiness of interstellar space, scientists said.