How to Choose a Paranormal Investigation Team
posted by piteamut - updated 4/2/18
posted by piteamut - updated 4/2/18
There are many Paranormal Investigation teams in Utah. These teams vary from those who simply “investigate” for fun, to those that are serious about the paranormal field and conduct investigations. If you’re experiencing paranormal activity in your home or business and are considering having a team out to investigate, here are some of our suggested steps in choosing the right team for you:
1. What methods do they use?
These questions can help you find a team that you feel will best fit your needs and situation. Don’t ever be afraid to ask the team a question, even if you feel it’s silly! If at any time during the process you feel uncomfortable with the team you have been dealing with, don’t hesitate to find another team.
1. What methods do they use?
- Is the team based in science, do they employ psychics, or is it a mixture of both? While the PI-Team takes a purely scientific approach and we look to debunk all claims before we state something is paranormal, we realize that not everyone shares our approach, including potential clients.
- Due to the growing popularity of paranormal investigation, new teams are established all the time. Unfortunately, some are only in it for the thrill and will provide nothing to the client. While being new isn't a bad thing, it is something to keep in mind. Maintaining an active group takes a lot of hard work, and a group that has been around for a long time shows the team's dedication to the field and to clients. Years of working in the paranormal field means years of experience with equipment, evidence, and professionalism.
- Letting an unknown group of people into your home or business can be a nerve-racking experience. When you hire a plumber, cleaner, or even a nanny, you take the time to know the person you hired is trusted. We suggest taking the same steps when selecting a Paranormal Investigations Team. The PI Team of Utah conducts regular background checks on all members, and has a strictly enforced code of conduct.
- In our opinion you can tell a lot about a Paranormal Investigation Team from how they present themselves. Are there are lot of errors? Are they updating their content regularly? Do they promote learning more about the paranormal or just talk about themselves? Go with your gut! You'll know what feels right and wrong to you.
- We believe the answer to this question should always be NO! Often, groups that charge for their services turn out to be running a scam, and aren't dedicated to helping their clients. If you need help, and are having trouble finding a qualified team in your area, please click here.
- Make sure you ask what they will do for you after they have finished their investigation. Will they provide you with a report of their findings? Will they give you a copy of any evidence they capture? Be sure to clarify what exactly they will do for you before you invite them to investigate.
These questions can help you find a team that you feel will best fit your needs and situation. Don’t ever be afraid to ask the team a question, even if you feel it’s silly! If at any time during the process you feel uncomfortable with the team you have been dealing with, don’t hesitate to find another team.
HELP!! I Think My House Is Haunted
posted by piteamut - updated 4/2/18
posted by piteamut - updated 4/2/18
We are contacted frequently by people who feel their house or workplace is haunted. Often times there are reasonable, non-paranormal explanations for what they’re experiencing. Here are some tips to help you figure out if you should contact a Paranormal Investigations Team:
After you’ve kept a log for a given period of time, and occurrences are still happening that you can’t explain it might be worth contacting a paranormal group to see if they can help.
- Keep a log of your experiences including date, time and a brief description of what happens – This will allow you to notice any common factors such as time of day, time of year, or location of the activity.
- Try to find reasonable explanations for the activity – Do you have noisy pipes or drafty windows/doors? Are noises you hear possibly coming from outside or through your air vents? Could you possibly have a carbon monoxide leak or high electromagnetic energy?
- Research your location – Although record keeping has become more detailed and better documented over past decades, often information is hard to come by when looking further back. It’s still a good idea to see what you can find, and it may give you useful info on previous owners. See "Taking Back Your Space" on our help page.
- Examine your personal life – Are you under a lot of stress at work or home? Are there family problems that are causing contention in the home? Have you been ill lately? Are you taking any new medications?
After you’ve kept a log for a given period of time, and occurrences are still happening that you can’t explain it might be worth contacting a paranormal group to see if they can help.
I Just Want You to Get Rid Of It!
posted by piteamut - updated 4/2/18
posted by piteamut - updated 4/2/18
“I just want it gone!” is a phrase that we hear at almost every residential pre-investigation interview we do. While we would like more than anything to be able to tell our client that we can alleviate their situation, it’s simply not something we can guarantee. There are multiple reasons why this isn't guaranteed, but the main reason is there is no proven method of ridding a location of paranormal activity.
So if we’re not there to get rid of whatever may be haunting a location, what exactly are we there to do? Our job as investigators is to research, investigate, document, and support the client.
Research: After we've completed the pre-investigation interview with the client, our historian conducts thorough research into the address and surrounding area. This helps us find any possible reasons as to why there is paranormal activity at the location such as deaths, accidents, or history of the land itself.
Investigate: When it’s time for the investigation, we begin by discussing the activity with the clients, including any changes since the pre-investigation interview. Based on our discussions we then place our equipment in the areas that the client reports as being the most active. No investigation is "typical", but on average our investigation lasts 3-4 hours and our investigators will conduct EVP sessions, try to find non-paranormal explanations for reported activity, and get an overall feel for the location. We will often involve the clients in our investigations and give them the opportunity to participate in an EVP session.
Document: The PI Team sets itself apart from other investigation teams as our primary goal is to investigate and research to help the client. We document all aspects of the investigation. This includes base readings such as temperature and EMF so that we can see if spikes occur during increases of activity. We also save all video and audio evidence. All evidence is reviewed by numerous members of the team in order to save only the best possible evidence and discount anything that could have a non-paranormal explanation. All of this documentation is put together into a report that is given to the client. It will cover everything from the history of the location to the findings of our investigation.
Support: After our investigation is complete and all evidence is reviewed, we will present our findings to the client. There are times when we investigate and come up completely empty handed. It happens. It doesn't necessarily mean that the location doesn't have paranormal activity, it just means that we weren't able to document anything during our investigation. There are also times where we have a very active location. While we’re not able to clear the location of any activity, we’re there to support the client in whatever way possible. Support might simply be the reassurance that they’re not crazy and there really is paranormal activity, or maybe they just weren't sure what approach to take when it comes to dealing with the activity.
This is where the PI Team is different. We don’t just investigate and then leave. We’re there for our client in the days, weeks, and months after the investigation to offer advice and answer questions.
So while we’re not able to guarantee that we can “get rid of” anything, we do everything we possibly can to make sure that our clients are educated about what’s going on at their location and what their options are.
So if we’re not there to get rid of whatever may be haunting a location, what exactly are we there to do? Our job as investigators is to research, investigate, document, and support the client.
Research: After we've completed the pre-investigation interview with the client, our historian conducts thorough research into the address and surrounding area. This helps us find any possible reasons as to why there is paranormal activity at the location such as deaths, accidents, or history of the land itself.
Investigate: When it’s time for the investigation, we begin by discussing the activity with the clients, including any changes since the pre-investigation interview. Based on our discussions we then place our equipment in the areas that the client reports as being the most active. No investigation is "typical", but on average our investigation lasts 3-4 hours and our investigators will conduct EVP sessions, try to find non-paranormal explanations for reported activity, and get an overall feel for the location. We will often involve the clients in our investigations and give them the opportunity to participate in an EVP session.
Document: The PI Team sets itself apart from other investigation teams as our primary goal is to investigate and research to help the client. We document all aspects of the investigation. This includes base readings such as temperature and EMF so that we can see if spikes occur during increases of activity. We also save all video and audio evidence. All evidence is reviewed by numerous members of the team in order to save only the best possible evidence and discount anything that could have a non-paranormal explanation. All of this documentation is put together into a report that is given to the client. It will cover everything from the history of the location to the findings of our investigation.
Support: After our investigation is complete and all evidence is reviewed, we will present our findings to the client. There are times when we investigate and come up completely empty handed. It happens. It doesn't necessarily mean that the location doesn't have paranormal activity, it just means that we weren't able to document anything during our investigation. There are also times where we have a very active location. While we’re not able to clear the location of any activity, we’re there to support the client in whatever way possible. Support might simply be the reassurance that they’re not crazy and there really is paranormal activity, or maybe they just weren't sure what approach to take when it comes to dealing with the activity.
This is where the PI Team is different. We don’t just investigate and then leave. We’re there for our client in the days, weeks, and months after the investigation to offer advice and answer questions.
So while we’re not able to guarantee that we can “get rid of” anything, we do everything we possibly can to make sure that our clients are educated about what’s going on at their location and what their options are.
Electromagnetic Fields
posted by piteamut - updated 4/2/18
posted by piteamut - updated 4/2/18
Image: Copyright ©2007 University of Pennsylvania, Environmental Health & Radiation Safety
Anyone interested in the paranormal will have at some point heard the phrase electromagnetic field or EMF. But what is it really? What does it have to do with anything paranormal? How can you use an EMF detector to help in your paranormal investigations?
EMF by its technical definition is an area of electrically charged particles. Natural changes in the electromagnetic field are quite common and can be caused many different things, including household items. Power outlets, especially your circuit breaker, can cause large fluctuations in an EMF level, especially if your house is older and is using unshielded wires. Electronics, such as televisions, computers, microwaves, and even cell phones can cause fluctuations in EMF levels as well. There is some debate and ongoing research into the possibility of harmful effects of high levels of EMF radiation. While no conclusive studies have been done, some people report effects such as headaches, anxiety, nausea, and depression when exposed to high EMF levels.
But what do EMF levels have to do with anything in the paranormal? A common theory among paranormal researchers is that spirits tend to feed off energy. EMF levels and energy are directly related. A fluctuation in the residual energy of the area will also affect the level of the electromagnetic field. One way to measure localized energy fields during an investigation is to measure the local electromagnetic field. Sudden fluctuations in the field could potentially mean the presence of some paranormal activity. By using an EMF detector, we can detect real time changes in the electromagnetic field, and in conjunction with other experiences and evidence, can help to verify and confirm the potential presence of a spirit. EMF detectors are a relatively cheap, and very important piece of equipment used in the study of the paranormal. So the next time you are looking for some new gear to help in your studies, be sure to check out some EMF detectors!
EMF by its technical definition is an area of electrically charged particles. Natural changes in the electromagnetic field are quite common and can be caused many different things, including household items. Power outlets, especially your circuit breaker, can cause large fluctuations in an EMF level, especially if your house is older and is using unshielded wires. Electronics, such as televisions, computers, microwaves, and even cell phones can cause fluctuations in EMF levels as well. There is some debate and ongoing research into the possibility of harmful effects of high levels of EMF radiation. While no conclusive studies have been done, some people report effects such as headaches, anxiety, nausea, and depression when exposed to high EMF levels.
But what do EMF levels have to do with anything in the paranormal? A common theory among paranormal researchers is that spirits tend to feed off energy. EMF levels and energy are directly related. A fluctuation in the residual energy of the area will also affect the level of the electromagnetic field. One way to measure localized energy fields during an investigation is to measure the local electromagnetic field. Sudden fluctuations in the field could potentially mean the presence of some paranormal activity. By using an EMF detector, we can detect real time changes in the electromagnetic field, and in conjunction with other experiences and evidence, can help to verify and confirm the potential presence of a spirit. EMF detectors are a relatively cheap, and very important piece of equipment used in the study of the paranormal. So the next time you are looking for some new gear to help in your studies, be sure to check out some EMF detectors!
Principles of Infrared
posted by piteamut - 10/16/10
posted by piteamut - 10/16/10
Understanding Infrared (IR) Principles is an important part of being equipment savvy. If you use Infrared cameras, it’s important for you to research what Infrared is, and how it works. We have a little test for you. If you know what the Infrared terms below mean, then you’re pretty well versed in Infrared Principles. If you can’t define them, then I highly suggest you research the subject.
Test yourself by defining these terms: Blackbody, Near Infrared Sub-Region, Thermal Crossover.So, how’d you do? Not so good, eh? Well, don’t feel bad. Most people go out and buy a TV, hook it up, and as long as it works, they’re happy. For most things in life, why should we worry about How something works? As long as it works, right? But, we’re in this field to try and find evidence of, for lack of a better term, life-after-death. So, we have to approach our research scientifically, don’t we? Do you think a Genome Scientist would simply accept that his equipment works, and does what he expects of it? Most definitely not! And for those of us in this field, we should know how our equipment works, and why.
For the purposes of this article, I won’t get into all of the specifics of Infrared Principles…It’s far to extensive to be covered in a single document. Rather, I’m going to use this time to enlighten you on just a few key points.
Many people consider Infrared to be nearly the same as Visible Light, and I suppose that’s true to an extent; but, I wouldn’t consider Gamma Radiation to be the same thing as UV Radiation (not unless I didn’t care how my tanning session turned out). I illustrate this point using Gamma Radiation and UV Radiation because they, and many more common electromagnetic waves (e.g., Visible Light, Infrared, Microwave Radiation) are all a part of the same family…The Electromagnetic Spectrum. As I said, MOST people generally think of how Infrared works in terms of how Visible Light works, and to some degree I suppose that works if it helps you to understand.
By the way…let me interject a little pet-peeve of mine here. Thermal (heat), is NOT a part of the Electromagnetic Spectrum. Infrared and Heat are not the same thing, and the terms shouldn’t be considered interchangeable. Infrared has unfortunately adopted this unofficial title for several reasons (misunderstanding being most predominant). All Electromagnetic Wavelengths have ‘some’ amount of temperature associated to them, so labeling Infrared as the same thing as Heat is not accurate. Since, I’m on the subject, and rambling already, I might as well illustrate that point.
Infrared was, quite accidentally, discovered by a man named Sir William Herschel. Sir William Herschel passed sunlight through a prism (which due to the characteristics of optics, split the sunlight into individual beams of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet light). Using a thermometer, Sir William Herschel identified that each of these individual beams of color held a slightly different temperature. As a means of control, he placed the thermometer just beneath red (presumably to measure the ambient room temperature), and discovered that ‘something’ read even hotter than red, something which could not be seen by the human eye! Long story short, that something was Infrared. Did you catch that? He was measuring the temperature of the Visible Light when he discovered Infrared. As I said, all wavelengths within the Electromagnetic Spectrum have varying degrees of heat associated with them.
Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox on that, and get back to the discussion at hand. If thinking about how Infrared works by associating it with how Visible Light works, then let me explain it briefly as such.
Active Infrared Cameras (nearly all Infrared cameras on the market today are ‘Active’), require some sort of external illumination in order to ‘light up’ the room in which they are used. Based on cost, and heat generation, Light-Emitting-Diodes (LEDs) are predominantly used to ‘light up’ a room for an Infrared Camera. LEDs have an extremely narrow frequency range. In other words, a green LED produces a very specific color of green–no blues, no reds. With Infrared LEDs this is true as well. Imagine you wanted to video record your sister’s wedding. Now, to light up the room for your camera, you installed several very bright blue lights. Only blue, no other colors. If you think your sister would look like a smurf on video, you’d be right. In order to get the best visual representation of the room, you would want to flood the room with white light (which has all the visible light colors in it). Get where I’m going with this?
With Infrared LEDs, the same thing is going to be true for your Infrared Camera. But, for the majority of the world, illuminating the room with only one ‘color’ of Infrared light is perfectly acceptable. The needs of the rest of the world, and our needs are two distinct things. The rest of the world is attempting to see the solid objects of the room, and ‘blue’, ‘green’, ‘red’…makes no difference to them…they can ‘see’ the room. But, we’re trying to capture something which is not solid. We need to take every possible step, take every advantage, to assist us in seeing mists, shadows, etc., so shouldn’t we flood the room with ‘white’ Infrared light (all the Infrared wavelengths the camera can see)? Consider reading up on your Infrared Cameras with external illuminators, find out what wavelength the LEDs produce, then find some means of illuminating the room with the other wavelengths of the Infrared region.
Thermometers
posted by piteamut - 10/16/10
posted by piteamut - 10/16/10
Thermometers are a great tool in documenting the environment when paranormal activities occur. Alone, a thermometer’s reading can not be considered ‘evidence’ of paranormal activity; however, temperature readings can be a great indicator that paranormal activity has/will/or may presently be occurring. Using Temperature Data-loggers is a great way to exploit a thermometer’s value. When reviewing our Temperature Data-logger’s recording, if we see a spike or a dip in temperature, we’ll go back to the audio and video recordings for that specific timeframe and give it closer scrutiny. Likewise, using a handheld thermometer during an investigation can give an investigator an idea of what is going on around him/her ‘real-time’.
But, as great a tool as a thermometer is, it’s important you realize the limitations of the thermometers you use. Standard thermometers measure the temperature of the air immediately around them, while laser thermometers measure the surface temperature of an object (not the air around it). If you’re not trying to record a surface temperature, a laser thermometer isn’t your best option, and vice versa. Also, keep in mind when using laser thermometers, that the emissivity of the objects in our environment are different, and hold and release their energy (in this case heat) at different rates. As a very general rule of thumb, darker objects will retain heat longer than lighter colored objects; however, the material making up the object plays a factor in the emissivity factor as well.
Battery Drain
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
Second to none, the theory behind inexplicable battery drains during an investigation, is reported to be that of a spirit or entity absorbing the power from batteries, to accumulate enough energy for it to manifest. Nearly everywhere I go, this seems to be the most widely held theory behind battery drains.
While I’m not saying this is wrong, I personally have a different theory regarding battery drains. When I watch videos of investigations where inexplicable battery drains occur, I’m never surprised to see that a manifestation does not occur immediately after the battery drain. In fact, in my experience, and from conversations with others, I believe a decrease in activity occurs following a battery drain, thus leading me to my theory.
I believe that the energy found in a battery, and the energy of roaming spirits are two distinctly different types of energy. When the energy of a spirit passes through a battery, the incompatibility of the two energy sources conflict with each other and actually drain both the batteries, and the spirit or entity of power, thus reducing the spirit activity from that point forward.
There is a way we can test both theories simultaneously. By introducing a larger battery (e.g., a car battery), connected to a volt-meter at all times, we can monitor the battery for a substantial energy drain at an investigation site. If the predominant theory is true, then the entity should have more power available in which to draw for it to manifest. If, however, a large drain on the battery occurs, and all activity ceases, we’ll have collected further evidence that the incompatibilty theory may be true. In either case, the introduction of a large power source to an investigation could reveal a greater understanding of spirits and battery drains.
Reviewing Video
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
Reviewing video evidence can be a real strain on your eyes. Given that most of the video a paranormal investigator reviews is monochrome (black/white, black/green), some evidence could be missed if the reviewer isn’t very careful.
Let’s discuss ‘White-Hot’ and ‘Black-Hot’. Some cameras give the operator the option of switching between ‘White-Hot’ and ‘Black-Hot’ Infrared video. Simply put, this means that if your camera is switched to ‘White-Hot’, warmer objects will appear whiter than the surrounding environment. In ‘Black-Hot’ the converse is true–warmer objects will appear blacker than the surrounding environment. So who cares? Let’s see for ourselves. Below are two well-known images of the Rubin’s Vase. In which image does the vase stand out more to you, and in which image do the two faces stand out more?
Let’s discuss ‘White-Hot’ and ‘Black-Hot’. Some cameras give the operator the option of switching between ‘White-Hot’ and ‘Black-Hot’ Infrared video. Simply put, this means that if your camera is switched to ‘White-Hot’, warmer objects will appear whiter than the surrounding environment. In ‘Black-Hot’ the converse is true–warmer objects will appear blacker than the surrounding environment. So who cares? Let’s see for ourselves. Below are two well-known images of the Rubin’s Vase. In which image does the vase stand out more to you, and in which image do the two faces stand out more?
Did you see the faces better in one version than you did in the other? Maybe so, maybe no. In truth, it’s simply another way to look at it. For some people an inverse image can result in better definition of the scene they are observing. Let’s take a look at another set of images:
Does the first image appear more visible in the second, and vice versa? Now consider this: If you’re a paranormal investigator, and you have some video footage to review, consider running through it twice: once in ‘White-Hot’ Notice how some of the parts that seem obscured in and once in ‘Black-Hot’. Even if your equipment doesn’t have this capability, there are plenty of freeware programs available that will create a ‘negative’ of your video for you. If that sounds like you’re doubling your review time, you’d be right, but you may be surprised what you see. and even more surprised in what you didn’t.
Some Thoughts on Audio Recorders
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
When purchasing an Audio Recorder for EVP work, be mindful of the capabilities and restrictions of the specific recorder you are looking at. A recorder capable of recording for hundreds of hours most likely uses a Codec which compresses the recording so much that background noises (such as EVPs) will be lost in the compression. Some recorders actually filter out the background noises, while others will record everything. It’s important that you do your research regarding a recorder’s capabilities and limitations. A good rule of thumb to follow when purchasing a digital audio recorder is to look for one that on the highest quality recording mode, will record approximately the number of hours you would use it for a single investigation (e.g., 12 hour maximum record time). If it can record substantially more, then a very Lossy or Dictation type Codec may be used, and you may be wasting your time attempting to capture EVPs.
Electronic Voice Phenomena
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
Electronic Voice Phenomena, commonly called EVP, is the capture of words and sometimes short sentences on audio recording equipment. An example of this phenomenon is when two individuals are sitting alone in a building reputed to have paranormal activity. Their discussion is recorded, and when the tape is played back later, a third voice appears on the tape. Often vague and barely discernible, generally audible only by listening closely to the tape with headphones, but undeniably there. There is no rational explanation for such occurrences, and the mystery only deepens when the third party’s voice seems to be in reply to a statement made by the two paranormal investigators who recorded the conversation.
Thomas Edison was probably the first scientific authority to suggest the feasibility of a machine that could communicate with the dead. In an early 20th-century interview in Scientific American, he claimed: “It is possible to construct an apparatus which will be so delicate that if there are personalities in another existence or sphere who wish to get in touch with us in this existence or sphere, this apparatus will at least give them [the] opportunity.”
In 1959, a Swedish researcher by the name of Friederich Jurgenson was using a common tape recorder to capture the sounds of birds when he discovered unexplained voices on his recordings. Jurgenson’s discovery led to an increased interest in Edison’s postulations of more than thirty years before.
After Jurgenson’s discovery, many others began to experiment with EVP. The most successful of these was Dr. Konstantine Raudive, whose work is worth checking out for anyone wanting to learn more about EVP. Dr. Raudive died in 1974, but left a number of works aimed at convincing humans that contact between the dead and living is possible.
The PI-Team uses several different kinds of recording devices in its efforts to capture EVP. The samples we provide on our EVP page represent only a fraction of what we’ve recorded over the years. We feel that EVP, especially that which seems to be in response to our presence, is the most compelling proof we have yet that “something” is out there…and it’s talking.
Thomas Edison was probably the first scientific authority to suggest the feasibility of a machine that could communicate with the dead. In an early 20th-century interview in Scientific American, he claimed: “It is possible to construct an apparatus which will be so delicate that if there are personalities in another existence or sphere who wish to get in touch with us in this existence or sphere, this apparatus will at least give them [the] opportunity.”
In 1959, a Swedish researcher by the name of Friederich Jurgenson was using a common tape recorder to capture the sounds of birds when he discovered unexplained voices on his recordings. Jurgenson’s discovery led to an increased interest in Edison’s postulations of more than thirty years before.
After Jurgenson’s discovery, many others began to experiment with EVP. The most successful of these was Dr. Konstantine Raudive, whose work is worth checking out for anyone wanting to learn more about EVP. Dr. Raudive died in 1974, but left a number of works aimed at convincing humans that contact between the dead and living is possible.
The PI-Team uses several different kinds of recording devices in its efforts to capture EVP. The samples we provide on our EVP page represent only a fraction of what we’ve recorded over the years. We feel that EVP, especially that which seems to be in response to our presence, is the most compelling proof we have yet that “something” is out there…and it’s talking.
Infrasound and the Search for Ghosts
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
One of the more unique phenomena during our investigation of the Dead Haven building (see our Investigations Page for more on this project) was the reactions of so many of the cast and crew members who worked there over the years. During questioning, numerous individuals expressed feelings of extreme sadness, chills, and the creepy sensation of being watched.
While a sense of anxiety strong enough to send chills up and down one’s spine or acrossthe scalp might not be unexpected in a commercial haunted house (although it could be argued that cast members should be expected to become used to the darkness and noise of a spook house), the expressions of sadness always seemed out of place. Grown and tattooed men in their twenties and thirties are not, as a rule, subject to unexplained bouts of tears when spending time in a particular room or section of a building.
That’s why I was intrigued when I ran across the following article written by Patricia Reaney and distributed by the Reuters News Service. While the article doesn’t come close to explaining some of the unique incidences that occurred at the Dead Haven building during our investigation there, it does offer an interesting theory for some of it.
Science – Reuters
———--
Soundless Music Shown to Produce Weird Reactions
By Patricia Reaney
MANCHESTER, England
(Reuters) -
Mysteriously snuffed-out candles, weird sensations and shivers down the spine may not be due to the presence of ghosts in haunted houses but to very low frequency sound that is inaudible to humans. British scientists have shown in a controlled experiment that the extreme bass sound known as infrasound produces a range of bizarre effects in people, including anxiety, extreme sorrow and chills — supporting popular suggestions of a link between infrasound and strange sensations.”
Normally you can’t hear it,” said Dr Richard Lord, an acoustic scientist at the National Physical Laboratory in England who worked on the project. Lord and his colleagues, who produced infrasound with a seven meter pipe and tested its impact on 750 people at a concert, said infrasound is also generated by natural phenomena.
“Some scientists have suggested that this level of sound may be present at some allegedlyhaunted sites and so cause people to have odd sensations that they attribute to a ghost — our findings support these ideas,” said professor Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire in southern England. In the first controlled experiment of infrasound, Lord and Wiseman played four contemporary pieces of live music, including some laced with infrasound, at a London concert hall and asked the audience to describe their reactions to the music. The audience did not know which pieces included infrasound, but 22 percent reported more unusualexperiences when it was present in the music. Their unusual experiences included feeling uneasy or sorrowful, getting chills down the spine or nervous feelings of revulsion or fear.
“These results suggest that low frequency sound can cause people to have unusual experiences even though they cannot consciously detect infrasound,” said Wiseman, who presented his findings to the British Association Science Conference. Infrasound is also produced by storms, seasonal winds and weather patterns and some types of earthquakes. Animals such as elephants also use infrasound to communicate over long distances or as weapons to repel foes.
While a sense of anxiety strong enough to send chills up and down one’s spine or acrossthe scalp might not be unexpected in a commercial haunted house (although it could be argued that cast members should be expected to become used to the darkness and noise of a spook house), the expressions of sadness always seemed out of place. Grown and tattooed men in their twenties and thirties are not, as a rule, subject to unexplained bouts of tears when spending time in a particular room or section of a building.
That’s why I was intrigued when I ran across the following article written by Patricia Reaney and distributed by the Reuters News Service. While the article doesn’t come close to explaining some of the unique incidences that occurred at the Dead Haven building during our investigation there, it does offer an interesting theory for some of it.
Science – Reuters
———--
Soundless Music Shown to Produce Weird Reactions
By Patricia Reaney
MANCHESTER, England
(Reuters) -
Mysteriously snuffed-out candles, weird sensations and shivers down the spine may not be due to the presence of ghosts in haunted houses but to very low frequency sound that is inaudible to humans. British scientists have shown in a controlled experiment that the extreme bass sound known as infrasound produces a range of bizarre effects in people, including anxiety, extreme sorrow and chills — supporting popular suggestions of a link between infrasound and strange sensations.”
Normally you can’t hear it,” said Dr Richard Lord, an acoustic scientist at the National Physical Laboratory in England who worked on the project. Lord and his colleagues, who produced infrasound with a seven meter pipe and tested its impact on 750 people at a concert, said infrasound is also generated by natural phenomena.
“Some scientists have suggested that this level of sound may be present at some allegedlyhaunted sites and so cause people to have odd sensations that they attribute to a ghost — our findings support these ideas,” said professor Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire in southern England. In the first controlled experiment of infrasound, Lord and Wiseman played four contemporary pieces of live music, including some laced with infrasound, at a London concert hall and asked the audience to describe their reactions to the music. The audience did not know which pieces included infrasound, but 22 percent reported more unusualexperiences when it was present in the music. Their unusual experiences included feeling uneasy or sorrowful, getting chills down the spine or nervous feelings of revulsion or fear.
“These results suggest that low frequency sound can cause people to have unusual experiences even though they cannot consciously detect infrasound,” said Wiseman, who presented his findings to the British Association Science Conference. Infrasound is also produced by storms, seasonal winds and weather patterns and some types of earthquakes. Animals such as elephants also use infrasound to communicate over long distances or as weapons to repel foes.
Science and Ghosts
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
When scientists debunk ghosts, their statement is usually: “There is no scientific proof of the existence of ghosts.” But there is scientific proof. Science even has theories that explain how something must be happening beyond what we know and can see.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), Time Magazine’s Man of the Century and one of the greatest minds the world has known, taught us that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be changed from one form of energy into another. This means that energy cannot be destroyed.
The human body has both electrical and chemical energy. We are organically designed to utilize our electrically charged brain and nervous systems. When we die, our chemical bodies begin to break down and decompose. The organic side returns to where it came from — energy changing into a different form of energy, per Einstein’s law. So what happens to the electrical energy that flows through the brain? It can’t simply vanish. That would break the laws of science, wouldn’t it? That energy still has to be somewhere;only now, it has changed into a different form of energy.
No one knows exactly what waits beyond this life. What many people do believe, thanks to science, is that the electrical pulse of energy in each of us will always exist.
Thomas Edison is one who believed in some kind of life after death. Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, the phonograph, the stock ticker, and over 1,000 other patented creations, was considered a man ahead of his time. When Edison died in 1931, one of the projects he was presumed to be working on was a machine that would allow the living to communicate with the afterlife. Edison believed that the soul was made up of “life units.” These microscopic particles could rearrange themselves into any form. They retained full memory and personality, and were indestructible. Edison hoped his machine would detect these life units and allow us to communicate with the dead. Although he put many years of hard work into his theory, he died before he could complete his machine.
Some called Edison crazy. Others thought he was onto something bigger than the light bulb. Who knows what kind of world we would be living in today if Edison had had time to finish his machine?
posted by piteamut 10/16/10
When scientists debunk ghosts, their statement is usually: “There is no scientific proof of the existence of ghosts.” But there is scientific proof. Science even has theories that explain how something must be happening beyond what we know and can see.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), Time Magazine’s Man of the Century and one of the greatest minds the world has known, taught us that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be changed from one form of energy into another. This means that energy cannot be destroyed.
The human body has both electrical and chemical energy. We are organically designed to utilize our electrically charged brain and nervous systems. When we die, our chemical bodies begin to break down and decompose. The organic side returns to where it came from — energy changing into a different form of energy, per Einstein’s law. So what happens to the electrical energy that flows through the brain? It can’t simply vanish. That would break the laws of science, wouldn’t it? That energy still has to be somewhere;only now, it has changed into a different form of energy.
No one knows exactly what waits beyond this life. What many people do believe, thanks to science, is that the electrical pulse of energy in each of us will always exist.
Thomas Edison is one who believed in some kind of life after death. Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, the phonograph, the stock ticker, and over 1,000 other patented creations, was considered a man ahead of his time. When Edison died in 1931, one of the projects he was presumed to be working on was a machine that would allow the living to communicate with the afterlife. Edison believed that the soul was made up of “life units.” These microscopic particles could rearrange themselves into any form. They retained full memory and personality, and were indestructible. Edison hoped his machine would detect these life units and allow us to communicate with the dead. Although he put many years of hard work into his theory, he died before he could complete his machine.
Some called Edison crazy. Others thought he was onto something bigger than the light bulb. Who knows what kind of world we would be living in today if Edison had had time to finish his machine?
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