Page 61 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - Jan-Feb 2018, Vol 27, No 1

Evidence of Ghosts Has Not Materialized 61

Are Ghosts Real? —

Evidence Has Not

Materialized

Continued from Page 49

Ghost hunters use many creative (and
dubious) methods to detect the spirits'
presences, often including psychics. Virtually
all ghost hunters claim to be scientific, and most
give that appearance because they use high-tech
scientific equipment such as Geiger counters,
Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detectors, ion
detectors, infrared cameras and sensitive
microphones. Yet none of this equipment has
ever been shown to actually detect ghosts. For
centuries, people believed that flames turned
blue in the presence of ghosts. Today, few
people accept that bit of lore, but it's likely that
many of the signs taken as evidence by today's
ghost hunters will be seen as just as wrong and
antiquated centuries from now.
Other researchers claim that the reason
ghosts haven't been proven to exist is that we
simply don't have the right technology to find or
transferred into the animals that eat us (i.e., wild enjoyment of pretending they are searching the
detect the spirit world. But this, too, can't be
animals if we are left unburied, or worms and edge of the unknown. After all, everyone loves a
correct: Either ghosts exist and appear in our
bacteria if we are interred), and the plants that good ghost story. []
ordinary physical world (and can therefore be
detected and recorded in photographs, film, absorb us. There is no bodily "energy" that
survives death to be detected with popular
video and audio recordings), or they don't. If The Scariest Ghost
ghost-hunting devices.
ghosts exist and can be scientifically detected or
While amateur ghost hunters like to Movies of All Time
recorded, then we should find hard evidence of
imagine themselves on the cutting edge of ghost
that — yet we don't. If ghosts exist but cannot
research, they are really engaging in what
be scientifically detected or recorded, then all 15. The Haunting (1963)
folklorists call ostension or legend tripping. It's
the photos, videos, audio and other recordings
basically a form of playacting in which people
claimed to be evidence of ghosts cannot be
"act out" a legend, often involving ghosts or 14. The Baby’s Room (2006)
ghosts. With so many basic contradictory
theories — and so little science brought to bear supernatural elements. In his book "Aliens,
Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live" 13. The Conjuring (2013)
on the topic — it's not surprising that despite the
(University Press of Mississippi, 2003)
efforts of thousands of ghost hunters on
folklorist Bill Ellis points out that ghost hunters
television and elsewhere for decades, not a 12. The Sixth Sense (1999)
themselves often take the search seriously and
single piece of hard evidence of ghosts has been
"venture out to challenge supernatural beings,
found. 11. Poltergeist (1982)
confront them in consciously dramatized form,
And, of course, with the recent
then return to safety. ... The stated purpose of
development of "ghost apps" for smartphones,
such activities is not entertainment but a sincere 10. Paranormal Activity (2009)
it's easier than ever to create seemingly spooky
images and share them on social media, making effort to test and define boundaries of the 'real'
world." 09. The Innocents (1961)
separating fact from fiction even more difficult
If ghosts are real, and are some sort of
for ghost researchers.
as-yet-unknown energy or entity, then their
Why many believe 08. Insidious (2011)
existence will (like all other scientific
Most people who believe in ghosts do so
discoveries) be discovered and verified by
because of some personal experience; they grew 07. The Changeling (1980)
scientists through controlled experiments — not
up in a home where the existence of (friendly)
by weekend ghost hunters wandering around
spirits was taken for granted, for example, or
abandoned houses in the dark late at night with 06. The Amityville Horror (1979)
they had some unnerving experience on a ghost
tour or local haunt. However, many people cameras and flashlights.
In the end (and despite mountains of 05. Lake Mungo (2010)
believe that support for the existence of ghosts
ambiguous photos, sounds, and videos) the
can be found in no less a hard science than
evidence for ghosts is no better today than it was
modern physics. It is widely claimed that Albert 04. Session 9 (2001)
a year ago, a decade ago, or a century ago. There
Einstein suggested a scientific basis for the
are two possible reasons for the failure of ghost
reality of ghosts, based on the First Law of 03. The Ring (2002)
hunters to find good evidence. The first is that
Thermodynamics: if energy cannot be created
ghosts don't exist, and that reports of ghosts can
or destroyed but only change form, what
be explained by psychology, misperceptions, 02. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
happens to our body's energy when we die?
Could that somehow be manifested as a ghost? mistakes and hoaxes. The second option is that
ghosts do exist, but that ghost hunters are simply 01. The Shining (1980)
It seems like a reasonable assumption —
incompetent and need to bring more science to
unless you understand basic physics. The
the search. For the very best of radio programming
answer is very simple, and not at all mysterious.
Ultimately, ghost hunting is not about in the Paranormal and Parapsychology
After a person dies, the energy in his or her
the evidence (if it was, the search would have Join Rob McConnell On
body goes where all organisms' energy goes
been abandoned long ago). Instead, it's about The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show
after death: into the environment. The energy is
having fun with friends, telling stories, and the www.xzoneradiotv.com
released in the form of heat, and the body is