Green Bank, Virginia
At the height of the Cold War, the National Zone of Radioelectric Silence (NRQZ) in the US was created, where electronic devices are forbidden. All by the thirst for knowledge of the universe.
The small town of Green Bank, located in Western Virginia, United States, is often identified as The “silent city in America”. This is because their residents are obliged by law to live with at least curious restrictions: they cannot have mobile phones, wi-fi not even microwaves. But why?
The town of Pocahontas County, which received its name in 1821 in honor of the famous daughter of chief Powhatan of US natives, who came from Jamestown, Virginia, has only 141 inhabitants, according to the 2020 census, but it is not the low number of inhabitants that is so calm.
It is because of interference that produce in the radio frequency spectrum. Green Bank is located in National Zone of Radioelectric Silence (NRQZ)an area of 33,000 square kilometers created in 1958 to reduce the electromagnetic interference that could disturb the operations of the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) – The largest orientable radiotelescope in the world.
Designed to detect incredibly weak spaces of space, any form of electromagnetic interference that affects the GBT-even everyday devices such as mobile phones or microwave-can compromise your delicate instruments.
Thus, life in Green Bank seems to have stopped in the last century. Residents still depend on fixed phones and wire internet calls, as mobile devices and wireless networks are prohibited. But curiously, they are linked by an advanced search for scientific knowledge.
“The inhabitants of this small town are not linked in the most modern way, but over time, I observed a deeper connection they shared, United by the search for scientific knowledge“Last year, Katie Dellamaggiore, who directed a documentary about the place.
“The unique and disconnected lifestyle of the city immediately caught my attention,” he confessed: “It was even more intriguing that scientists use the Green Bank telescope to explore some of the greatest mysteries of science, such as the way the universe has begun and if there is intelligent life beyond Earth.”
To enforce the rules, the city has a monitoring team that actively detects any unauthorized electromagnetic emissions, so that GBT continues its mission of exploiting the ends of the universe, looking for signs that can reveal the mysteries of space.
Therefore, if you are looking for a vacation destination away from constant digital distractions, Green Bank is the answer.
“Although it understands the desire for access to common technology, it is discouraging to think that one of the last zones of intentional silence can soon become a thing of the past. We must strive to preserve this unique place on Earth, ”believes the director.
