![]() ![]() And it has been noted that areas most associated with hauntings – such as Hampton Court – do possess erratic magnetic fields. Canadian neuroscientist Michael Persinger demonstrated that the application of varying electromagnetic fields to the temporal lobes of the brain could produce haunting experiences – such as perception of a presence, a feeling of God or sensations of being touched. Other explanations draw on environmental factors, such as electromagnetic fields and infrasound. And of course, paranormal believers are prone to endorsing alleged paranormal phenomena – while sceptics will deny the existence of the paranormal. So it is fair to say that the effects of suggestion vary depending upon a person’s beliefs. A study in the supposedly haunted Hampton Court found that suggestion had no effect on participants’ expectations of experiencing unusual phenomena, or their tendency to attribute unusual phenomena to ghosts. Because I told you soĪttempts to explain hauntings often draw upon psychological factors – such as suggestion – so being told a place is haunted is more likely to lead to ghostly goings-on.īut research in real-world settings has produced inconsistent results. Naga Fireballs, sometimes also referred to as the Mekong Lights, or more commonly known as the Ghost Lights are the strange natural phenomena with unconfirmed sources seen on the Mekong River in Thailand and Laos. So with Halloween just round the corner, here are the top three scientific and psychological explanations for hauntings, spirits, spookiness and all things supernatural – although it should be noted that many important questions have yet to be resolved … 1. ![]() Overview edit According to Judith Brueske, 'The 'Marfa Lights' of west Texas have been called many names over the years, such as ghost lights, weird lights, strange lights, car lights, mystery lights, or Chinati lights. And the idea of a haunting can often include anything from a sensed presence, or objects moving, to spirit activity.īut in a world filled with science and reason, these “hauntings” can often boil down to a very simple explanation. Scientific research suggests that most, if not all, are atmospheric reflections of automobile headlights and campfires. The term “ghost” refers to the idea that the spirits of the dead – human and animal – influence the physical world. ![]() But beyond the fancy dress and trick or treating, belief in ghosts is actually relatively common – with 38% of people classifying themselves as believers and a similar number having actually reported seeing one. All attempts to shed light on such a multifarious and mercurial phenomenon remain, as yet, satisfyingly unsatisfying.From ghosts to ghouls, witches to wizards, Halloween is the one time of the year when people come together to celebrate everything supernatural. French discusses how psychological explanations such as sleep paralysis and inattentional blindness could underlie many peoples paranormal experiences. Scientists continue to offer explanations of swamp gas, fireflies, headlights, self-igniting plasma balls and even owls with a fondness for ingesting bioluminescent fungi. The “Min Min Lights” are most often encountered on the 225-mile road between Winton and Boulia, where drivers often mistake them for approaching headlights until they pass and either vanish or bounce across the road. They can appear out of nowhere, split in two and allegedly interact “intelligently” with observers. Located in Western Queensland, the lights are described as airborne fiery orbs with a tendency to follow rather than to lead. Drawing on Aboriginal folklore, country star Slim Dusty’s 1968 Min Min Light is the ballad of a boy who follows a light “far into the night”, never to return. In a recent episode of the Monster Talk podcast, researcher Jerry Drake and his wife describe a close-up encounter with a floating ball of light at a roadside in Iceland.Īustralia’s most celebrated will-o’-the-wisp has its own visitors’ centre, “Encounter Show” and song. In a valley in central Norway, the Hessdalen Lights – multicoloured clusters of glowing orbs that dart across the landscape – have been witnessed for decades. North Carolina’s Brown Mountains remain a hotspot for lights that hover, move erratically and change colour. Urbanisation and light pollution may explain a lack of evidence for will-o’-the-wisps in countries like the UK, yet sightings persist across remoter parts of the world. In South America they are simply luz mala: “evil light”. To Indigenous Australians they are “corpse campfires” for Mexicans the spritely bruja is believed to be the soul of a witch. ![]()
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