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Ghost Hunting / General Information

Ghosts - how to hunt for them and the equipment you'll need. Plus general information of ghosts and hauntings.

What is the message the apparition is trying to give me?

A woman wonders about the apparition her mother is seeing, and what it's message might be.

Paranormal Activity: What the Movie Got Right... and Wrong

A dissection of the movie Paranormal Activity -- what the filmmakers got right and what they got wrong.

Lilly

The little ghost of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

Halloween

A collection of articles about Halloween, including true, scary stories.

Spooky Tales of Halloween

Scary stories encounters with ghosts at Halloween

Halloween Costume Contest

Readers are invited to send in photos of their paranormal-themed Halloween costumes for a chance at winning some prizes

The Latest Paranormal News and Views

The Latest Paranormal News and Views

How to Create a Ghost

In the 1970s, a psychical research group "invented" a spirit named Philip. To their astonishment, Philip actually made contact with them through a host of incredible psychokinetic phenomena.

How do I communicate with a ghost?

A reader asks how he can communicate with a ghost that might be in his mobile home.

Can Ghosts Attack?

Reader Question: Can Ghosts Attack?

Shadow People: What Are They?

Do mysterious, shadowy entities drift into our world from some other existence, dimension or time? Shadow beings seem to be reported with more and more frequency. What are they? Where do they come from? We spoke with Jason Offutt, author of "Darkness Walks: The Shadow People Among Us" about this unnerving phenomenon.

Should I be concerned, curious about EVP?

Concerned, curious about EVP

Hearing Whispers

Hearing Whispers

Ghost Hunting Equipment

Ghost Hunting Equipment

Can animals be ghosts?

Can animals be ghosts?

What is DOP (disappearing object phenomenon)?

What is DOP (disappearing object phenomenon)?

What is EVP (electronic voice phenomena)?

What is EVP (electronic voice phenomena)?

What is Old Hag Syndrome?

What is Old Hag Syndrome?

What is the difference among a ghost, a poltergeist and a haunting?

What is the difference among a ghost, a poltergeist and a haunting?

What is a poltergeist?

What is a poltergeist?

What is a ghost?

What is a ghost?

The Latest Paranormal News

Up-to-the-minute news on the paranormal and unexplained from around the world.

Do you believe that good ghosts exist?

Do you believe that good ghosts exist?

A Parapsychologist's Tale

In this interview, parapsychologist JJ Lumsden, author of "The Hidden Whisper", talks about his book and provides fascinating insights into the study of hauntings, psychokinesis, mental healing, poltergeists, and more.

16 Signs That Your House is Haunted

How do you know if that persistent rapping on your walls is bad plumbing or a mischievous spirit? Here are some of the signs of a haunting - and what you can do about it.

Book Review: Shadows of the Dark

Review of Shadows of the Dark by John Zaffis and Brian McIntyre.

Contacting the Dead in the Electronic Age

Forget about Ouija boards, séances and spiritual mediums. The new way to communicate with the dead is through electronics. From your About.com guide.

DVD Review: Dead Whisper

A review of the DVD, Dead Whisper.

Enough with the Orbs Already

Enough experiments have been conducted to demonstrate that orbs are nothing more than dust, rain, pollen or some other particulate. Let’s drop it as a paranormal possibility.

Ghost and Hauntings FAQs

Answers to frequently asked questions about ghosts, hauntings, poltergeists and more.

Ghosts All Around Us

An interview with ghost hunter and clairvoyant Melba Goodwyn.

Ghosts: What Are They?

Do you believe in ghosts? The many thousands of reports from all over the world leave little doubt that haunting experiences are quite real. But what causes them and why? From your About.com guide.

The Houdini Séance

Every Halloween since 1927, a séance has been held to see if legendary magician Harry Houdini would try to contact the living from the world beyond death. From your About.com guide.

How To Be a Ghost Hunter

The tools, techniques, information and forms you need to investigate hauntings in your area. A review of Richard Southall's book.

How To Create a Ghost

In the 1970s, a psychical research group "invented" a spirit named Philip. To their astonishment, Philip actually made contact with them through a host of incredible psychokinetic phenomena. From your About.com guide.

How To Hear and See a Ghost

Yes, they're out there... waiting to be heard and seen. And there are several ways you can make it happen, on the web or in your own home! From your About.com guide.

How To Survive a Poltergeist

Knocks on walls, objects thrown about by unseen hands, furniture moved around by the invisibl. These are classic manifestations of what has become known as poltergeist activity. Here's how to handle them.

Interview: Loyd Auerbach on Ghosts

One of the world's foremost authorities and researchers on ghosts and hauntings offers a fascinating, often surprising view of these perplexing phenomena.

Is there any way to get in touch with the dead?

Is there any way to get in touch with the dead?

Orbs by Chance – Or...?

Interesting photos that seems to show a link between anomalous orbs and the "other side."

Poltergeists: An Alternate View

A reader believes poltergeists are probably the work of spirits

Should I be worried about disappearing objects?

Worried about disappearing objects

Should You Be Afraid of Ghosts?

Alone at night in a haunted house, most people would be terrified at the sight of an apparition. But why? Have ghosts really earned the reputation of being harmful to humans?

Taking Ghost Research to the Next Level

A challenge to every paranormal researcher and every ghost hunting group out there – even the nationally known ones: Let’s find that breakthrough.

Why Are Ghosts Seen Wearing Clothes?

Top paranormal researchers answer an age-old question

50 Years of Ghost Hunting

An interview with Ed and Lorraine Warren on their religious and spiritual beliefs, and how they became the world-renowned ghostbusters that they are today.

Advice for the Haunted

Strange noises rouse you from your sleep. Objects inexplicably disappear and hear phantom footsteps in the hall. Looks like you might be haunted! What do you do? Here is step-by-step advice.

All About Ghosts

Very well done site that includes all manner of information about ghosts and ghost hunting, including pictures, EVPs, stories and more.

Anatomy of an Investigation

Veteran ghost researcher Dale Kaczmarek explains in detail how a haunting should be investigated.

Are Ghosts Discarnate Entities?

One alternative hypothesis is that the "ghost experience" is caused by the interaction of some infrequent/sporadic, external stimuli with an individual’s neuropsychological makeup.

Are Your Christmas Toys Haunted?

As children, all of us had our favorite playthings: dolls, teddy bears, toy soldiers; the list goes on. But how many of us ever suspected that those same toys might have been haunted?

Astral Critters

Can "something" follow a paranormal investigator home? Yes, says this TAPS article. Here's how it happens and how to get rid of them.

The Black Forest Investigation

Author Dennis Hauck investigates strange events that took place in a haunted cabin in the dense woods of Colorado.

Can Entities Hurt?

There are attested cases of entities hurting people, even leaving marks on the body. Does this suggest the entities are real, or can other elements explain the phenomenon?

Catching Spirits on Film: Is It Possible?

Mike Roberge, of the Paranormal Research Center of Rhode Island, offers excellent information on "ghost photography" - what works and what doesn't.

Children and Ghosts

Can babies and children see angels, spirits and ghosts? Yes, this article says. When a child comes into this world they are what we term "close to the grave."

Claims of Communicating with the Dead

The paranatural paradigm deals with other dimensions of reality beyond our own and apart from the supernatural. Philosopher Paul Kurtz examines the paradigm in the context of life after death.

Dangers and Hazards of Exploring Shadow World

It takes years of studying the available literature and the wisdom and knowledge of others -- as well as to know oneself -- before one faces the inhabitants of Shadow World, says Brad Steiger.

Digital Cameras: No Longer Ghost Hunting At its Worst?

Digital cameras save ghost hunters a lot of money, but this author could never accept the authenticity of the images that were photographed by them. Has he changed his mind?

Do You Believe that Ghosts are Real?

Ghosts are different things depending on who you ask. While 32% of Americans believe in ghosts, according to a 2005 Gallup poll, there is a divergence of opinion as to what constitutes a ghost.

Experiments with Apparitions in the Laboratory

The ideal way to experiment with a ghost would be to bring it into the laboratory, where it could be studied under controlled conditions. While it is not possible to do so, some parapsychologists have attempted the next best thing.

Evolution of an Entity

Just like living humans, ghosts maintain their unique individual personalities and traits. From the friendly, curious and playful to the grumpy and reclusive, we must respect and be mindful of these foreign fourth dimensional citizens.

Gender, Heroes, and the Social Dynamics of Ghost Hunting

Takes a look at ghost hunting and puts it in a historical and cultural context, feminism, gender roles, and mythos.

Getting Outside Help

Whether you need to get verification of activity through a paranormal investigator or need the help of a cleansing ritual, you will need some type of documentary evidence to present. Here's how, plus a list of local investigators.

Getting Rid of Ghosts

Can the uninvited be invited to leave? Numerous remedies exist for "ghost releasement." If you think you have a ghost on premises and would like it to leave, consider this article.

Getting Rid of Ghosts: Worth the Trouble?

There are five broad categories of ghosts, according to the authors of this site, and they reveal how to exorcise each kind.

Get To Know Your Ghosts - Demonic Haunt

Demons are one of the known inhuman entities out there. Fortunately, they are a rare occurrence.

Get To Know Your Ghosts - Intelligent Haunt

In this style of haunting the entity or entities are aware of their surroundings. Most of the time you will find that these spirits are not confined to one spot, they can move around freely.

Get To Know Your Ghosts - Poltergeists

Poltergeist is from a German word meaning noisy spirits. Reports of poltergeists date back to Ancient Roman times.

Get To Know Your Ghosts - Residual Haunt

The most common style of a human haunting is a residual haunting. A residual haunting is like having an impression made in time.

Ghost and Culture

Whether we accept ghosts as existing or not, stories of ghosts persist. Could it be that there is value in those stories? Could they have a distinct purpose that guarantees they will exist?

Ghost Definitions

There are several types of ghosts, and this site provides a brief explanation of each along with its basic characteristics and a photo depicting its normal appearance.

Ghost Detector Shop

Who ya gonna call? Become a ghostbuster yourself with the equipment you can purchase here.

Ghost Hunter's Field Guide

This guide is provided as a reference for anyone who is interested in a serious attempt to find and record phenomena which may be evidence of the paranormal.

The Ghosthunter Store

All you ghosthunters out there now have a one-stop shop for all the equipment you need, including electric and magnetic field detectors, infrared thermometers, hygrometers, sensor probes and more.

The Ghosthunter's Toolbox

While much of the high-tech equipment is optional, anything that makes it easier to monitor an environment is a must-have for serious ghost-hunters. Here's what you need.

Ghost Hunting and the Witching Hour

Researchers offer a wide variety of opinions about the best time for successful ghost hunting. Some say dusk, others say after 9 p.m., some insist on midnight, and a few favor dawn.

Ghost Hunting Etiquette 102

Based on information that we have gathered over the years pertaining to the existence of the other side, we can finally put it to good use. This article provides one perspective for ghost hunters.

Ghost Related Theories

Several members of the Philadelphia Ghost Hunters Alliance give their opinions on what ghosts might be.

Ghosts and Liminality: A Brief Introduction

Attempts to answer: Are ghosts alive? Or are they dead? Are they fact? Or are they fiction? Are they natural, supernatural, hallucinations or real?

Ghosts, Poltergeists, & the Lost Secret of Death

People all across the globe once believed virtually the same thing about what happened after death - that human beings possess not one, but two souls, which were in danger of dividing apart from one another when a person died.

Ghosts: Tips on How to Confirm Paranormal Activity

Trying to decipher things to determine if there is possibly a ghost in your presence is hard. Here are some ways that you can determine if there is a ghostly visitor without the use of equipment.

Ghost Watch UK

This is a good site for would-be ghost hunters. Includes information about each type of ghost, conducting an investigation, equipment, using Ouija boards and more.

A Ghoul Glossary

Every culture has its unique cast of ghosts, ghouls, and demons, so Hawaii's melting pot of cultures is a supernatural smorgasbord. Here are a few traditional nightmarish entities, and advice on how to protect yourself from them.

A Guide to Getting Started in Paranormal Investigation

If you are interested in the paranormal, and would like to jump on the investigation bandwagon, there's no shortage of information. There are some easy things you can do, to ensure you have the best experience possible, in your quest to become a paranormal investigator.

Haunted

Joshua Smeaton's comics/graphic novels follow the adventures of a group of teens as they explore various haunted locations. Several issues are available online for free.

Haunted: You Decide - Investigations

The site features the investigations of this group's ghost hunting investigations, and includes interesting photos and videos of what they found.

Hooded Beings

Hooded beings seem to be a unique subset of the ghost phenomenon. Although not all experiences are the same, the similarities outweigh the differences, perhaps indicating that this is a special kind of ghost encounter.

How To Explain Hauntings

If they are to make any sense, says this article, we need to address the "system" by which a haunting could occur; in other words, place all the suggested elements into a graded theory.

How to Hunt and Photograph a Ghost

This would be more convenient as an article, but it exists as a series of tips that summarize many of the practices that ghost investigators use on their ghost hunts.

How to Make a Ghost: Magic and Mysticism in Tibet

Authors note that fictional characters have a tendency to take on a life of their own. But few readers realise just how literally they mean it.

How To Take Ghost Pictures

Charlyn Keating Chisholm, About.com's Guide to Hotels/Resorts/Inns has taken her fair share of photos of unexplained orbs in her travels. Here she explains her technique.

Hypnagogia as a Ghost Theory

In a hypnagogic state, an individual who is in the most profound state of sleep, is awakened and their body remains paralyzed. Hallucinations range from demonic, angelic to ghosts and other unworldly beings.

An Inquisitive Look into Ghosts and Hauntings

Why is it that ghosts today are so different from the ghosts that used to haunt places centuries ago? At least that's the premise of this questioning article.

International Ghost Hunters Society

Lots here, including photos, stories, ghost-hunting tips, investigation reports, local ghost clubs and more.

International Society for Paranormal Research

Several case studies that the ISPR has investigated are detailed here, including "The Girl in the Slave Quarter" and "Houdini."

Introduction to Ghost Hunting

Great information for would-be ghost-hunters, including where to find them, the tools you need, rules for investigation and more.

Investigating Apparitions

Defines the different types of apparitions an investigator might come across, what they are and how they might relate to human consciousness.

Investigating Hauntings

Most parapsychologists consider hauntings to be "recordings" of past events that are repetitiously "replayed" and "decoded" by those sensitive enough to perceive them.

Investigating Poltergeist Phenomena

Current studies, this site says, indicate that the poltergeist situation is caused by a living person who is typically involved simultaneously in another stress-inducing situation.

Investigation Reports

Several true reports from the American Ghost Society, including Greenwood Cemetery, Salem Churchyard and Bell's Jewelry Store.

Kids.Ghostvillage.com

A resource for kids, parents, and educators who want some help in framing the supernatural discussion with the younger audience.

The Manteum

This site explains how to build and use a manteum - a little curtained room with a mirror that, they say, can be used to contact departed spirits.

The Many Secrets Of Top Private Paranormal Investigators

Ghost hunters do many things as individuals some may seem practical, others downright strange. But if the evidence you collect from using such tricks are worth it, why not learn from others' success and failures?

The Mechanism of Poltergeist Activity

Children generate poltergeist activity by channelling energy into the quantum mechanical vacuum, say physicists.

The Moving Glass Page

This page is interesting in that it was developed by a skeptic - a skeptic who has had an unexplained experience and is interested in getting to the bottom of it. You'll find reader experiences and discussions here.

The Mystery Houdini Couldn't Solve

Houdini was known for debunking fraudulent Spiritualist mediums and alleged evidence that purported to be paranormal. On at least one occasion though, Houdini found that he didn't have all of the answers!

The Mystery of Ectoplasm

The debunkers say ectoplasm is nothing more than cheesecloth extruded at an opportune time. However, it's difficult to believe that eminent men of science could have been fooled over and over again.

National Ghost Hunters Society

This nicely done site includes photos, stories, investigations, excerpts from books and even some contests.

The Nature of Ghosts: A Review of the Evidence

Despite many thousands of reports of apparitions since the beginning of history, the evidence for the paranormal remains very sketchy. It is not too hard to see why this is, and why skeptics remain to be convinced.

The Nature of Hauntings

Attempts to answers why hauntings occur, what causes a spirit to remain earth-bound, why certain locations are "chosen," and how to possibly get rid of a ghost.

The Nature of Negative Hauntings

Although the media would seemingly have us believe that every other house on the block is inhabited by ethereal beings, according to this article, a true haunting is more unique than one might think.

New England Society for Psychic Research

This is the home page of Ed and Lorraine Warren, considered by some to be the top ghost hunters in the U.S. Investigations and photos included.

New Light on the Haunted House

This article looks at a psychological explanation for hauntings: the transferring of human tensions, haunted houses as universal symbols, etc.

Paranormal Investigations Gone Awry

A tough look at the rash of ghost investigations shows on television, which the author finds most disappointing.

Paranormal Investigation Tips & Equipment Information

Tips on using today's ghost-hunting gear, including night vision cameras, EMF meters, infrared thermometers, and even more everyday equipment.

Paranormal Responsibility

Paranormal responsibility, this article says, is understanding your equipment, understanding your camera, voluntary peer review of evidence, paranormal propriety, asking permission to enter any abandoned location, knowing your audience and integrity.

Paranormal Underworld Live

This group has a new concept, breaking the boundaries of distance and creating a virtual window into live investigating via high quality broadcasting over the internet. Sign up!

The Perfumes of the Dead

What do ghosts smell like? Occasionally you will hear of someone describing something banal like Uncle Bob's pipe tobacco, but it is not a big feature of modern day channeling or mediumship.

Peter Underwood, Ghosthunter at Large

World famous Ghosthunter Peter Underwood has seen his fair share of spooks and haunted places. Here he talks about his favorite Australian haunts and spookiest cases.

Poltergeist Machine

Can the mischievous antics of poltergeists be duplicated by electromagnetic anomalies? Read this interesting article.

The Power of the Ghost Narrative

For ghost hunters searching for verifiable evidence, the ghostly narrative is the first step toward an investigation, for it’s within the narrative the ghost hunter will uncover the clues needed to warrant an expedition into the dark realms of the otherside.

Removing Pesky Ghosts

Dr. Dave Oester offers his thoughts on the exorcism of ghosts, and perhaps why in most instances they should just be left alone. Interesting.

Richard Senate - Ghost Hunter

The website of ghost hunter and author Richard Senate. Richard has articles on current ghost sightings, paranormal photos, EVPs and more weird stuff.

The Scole Group

The Scole Group has been seeking proof of life after death. Their evidence includes pictures, videotape, "apports" and voice transmissions.

Séance - A Roundtable Discussion

Where did the idea for the séance come from and how does it work? This article provides some interesting background.

The Secret Life of Orbs

Haunted Earth weighs in on the "orb" controversy, arguing that many they have photographed are "real," meaning spirit activity. They explain how to recognize a "real" orb.

The Shadows

This website is devoted to exploring the shandow people phenomenon, what they are all about, who they are, who they work with and what they really want.

Signals from the Void

Ghost hunting and the suitability of electronic measuring devices: procedures and equipment used in ghost hunting as opposed to paranormal research; the two are mutually exclusive and although similar are not interchangeable.

Signs of a Haunting

Lists 14 signs that your home might be haunted, and tells you the difference between a poltergeist and a haunting.

The Skippy Experiment

This experiment was modeled on the highly successful Philip Experiment - an artificial "ghost" created by the collective minds of eight researchers who created a false history to generate a collective hallucination of an imaginary person.

Some Pointers to Poltergeist Behaviour

Could ley lines and an underground stream somehow be responsible for the poltergeist activity at this store and residence in Scotland?

So What Are Ghosts?

Throughout time, mankind has strived to understand and explain mysterious apparitions on non-worldly "intelligence" that seem to have accompanied its very existence.

So You Want To Be A Ghost Hunter

Why is so much time and effort concentrated on what traditional science says doesn’t exist? The article explains the whys and hows of ghost investigators.

Spiricom

Here is a complete online version of George W. Meek's original report about his Spiricom device, an electronic machine that he claimed enabled real-time communication with the dead.

The Spiricom Device: The Continuing Mystery of Contacting the Dead

Since time immemorial people have believed in an afterlife and its spirits within, and attempted communication using various oracles and techniques.

The Sun, The Moon, and Geographic Activity

There has always been an eerie connection with the paranormal and the mysteries of the night. Long are the legends of the effects that the moon has on the creatures of the night, but how do they affect the spiritual realm, and what about the sun? Does it have a similar effect?

Table-Tilting

Table-tilting is where a gathering of people sits around a small table in a darkened room with their hands placed firmly on the table, hoping to produce sounds or table movement via spirits.

The Technique of a Séance

To those who are unfamiliar with the procedure of an ordinary séance with a medium it might be interesting to give an account of what might be usually expected to happen.

The Three Basic Types of Hauntings

Paranormal research and investigation has revealed there to be three, basic categories of hauntings, or non-corporeal infestations: intelligent or human hauntings, residual hauntings and demonic or inhuman hauntings. Carl Johnson of TAPS explains.

Tips for Beginner Ghost Hunters

Here are some guidelines for you to follow if you are going out ghost-hunting.

Top Ten Ghost Hunting Tools of the Trade

Today many have taken it upon themselves to research and explore haunted locations around the world. Here's the equipment needed to hunt for real ghosts in the 21st century.

Trifield Natural EM Meter

Want to go ghost hunting? This company's EM meter measures static electric, radio-microwave and magnetic fields. Affordable, too.

The Truth about Orbs?

An in-depth study into technical aspects of photography has concluded that orbs may be airborne particles located within a theoretical ‘orb zone’ in front of a camera.

Understanding the Different Types of Ghosts

Did you know there are many different types of ghosts, and, further, that not every being that inhabits in the spiritual realm is necessary a ghost at all? This article explains.

Unexpected Guests

Over time, a haunting can loose its power, almost dwindling away to nothing. However, a haunting will sometimes be recharged, especially in areas that possess a high amount of energy.

What Is a Ghost?

There are many theories about what ghosts are - internal projections, energy forms and disembodied spirits of the dead. This article breaks them down into some widely accepted categories.

What Is a Ghost?

Explains one theory of what ghosts are, why they are here and where they are most likely to be found.

What Katie Did

When a scientist invited a young medium to live in his home, was a drama more of the flesh than the spirit being played out? The sexually charged world of the Victorian séance.

What To Do When Your House is Haunted

Answers to: Should you move out? Stay? Talk to the specters or ignore them? What is the best thing to do? Should you contact a ghost hunter to come in an investigate?

When the Spirits Held Sway at the White House

President Abraham Lincoln held séances in the White House. These meetings were reported in the press at the time, yet few people condemned the president because so many prominent people had embraced the Spiritualist craze.

Why Spirits Wear Clothes

Pseudoskeptics and debunkers are usually quick to smirk and scoff at reports that spirits wear clothes. Indeed, it even exceeds the boggle threshold of many who believe in a spirit world.

Will We Ever Be Able to Prove the Existence of Ghosts?

We are still unable to produce any real evidence for the existence of ghosts. Maybe it isn't that ghosts simply don't exist, but our method of obtaining evidence should be perfected.

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