Ask AI: Why do I hear a dial up handshake sound in my head when there's no computers around?

Hearing a dial up handshake sound when there's no computers or any other devices around may be due to a condition known as tinnitus. Tinnitus is when you experience ringing or other noises in one or both of your ears. The noise you hear when you have tinnitus isn't caused by an external sound, and other people usually cannot hear it. Tinnitus is commonly associated with various forms of hearing loss and can be caused by prolonged exposure to excessively loud noise. But remember, this is just one possible explanation. It may also be a form of auditory hallucination, which could be caused by stress, lack of sleep, or even certain medications. If you continuously experience this, I highly recommend you to consult with a medical professional.

This phenomenon is known as "phantom ringtone syndrome" and is caused by the brain misinterpreting certain sounds in the environment as being associated with a previous auditory experience. This can be triggered by everything from a doorbell to a car engine, and the sound most often experienced is the sound of a dial-up modem.