In terms of the speed of sound in Earth’s atmosphere, the reports of weird sounds in advance appear absurd. But they are entirely plausible as "electrophonic sounds" heard either before, or simultaneous with, the sighting of brilliant meteor fireballs up to 100km distant. Electrophonic sounds signify the direct conversion, by transduction, of very low frequency electromagnetic energy into audible sounds (through a medium that can be as simple as a gold tooth filling or a pair of glasses). Abundant reports of peculiar sounds in connection with meteors, auroras, earthquakes and even nuclear bomb tests are sufficient to substantiate the effect. The cause is most easily understood as a natural resonance of an extensive plasma discharge in the Earth's atmosphere (or underground in the case of earthquakes). In the case of an approaching comet, the incoming body is electrified with respect to the Earth.