Listen to the eerie sounds of near silence in formerly bustling cities

Atlas Obscura recorded the sounds of Times Square, Covent Garden, Grand Central Station, LAX airport, and other formerly noisy, people and traffic filled urban spots. Now all you hear is wind, a few cars, and recorded announcements. It's like a real world adaptation of "There Will Come Soft Rains."

This recording was taken at LAX airport during morning rush hour. Cars passed by strangely fast, construction crews continued to work, and the few remaining TSA agents were busy with their phones. For the hour I was there recording, nobody asked me to move my car. The vibe was creepy. There was almost no one else there, save a single traveler with a roller bag and someone collecting bottles and cans.