For those who have never been involved in a lively debate on, for example, the types of paranormal activity, this concept might not make sense at first glance, but you’ve probably seen at least one television show peppered with the term ‘personal experience’. This term is the key to the entire field of paranormal research. Everything we do is affected by our personal experiences, and those experiences are all based on our individual perception of the world around us. This long-standing situation has allowed those outside the field to target our research as pseudoscience.

All of this begs the question: Should the ‘data’ collected through paranormal research—photographs of orbs, video of strange shadows, audio recordings of what most interpret as a voice—which relies on individual perceptions be considered evidence? Its a difficult question to answer. The collection of data might seem to be science-based as it makes use of technology, yet even with modern recording devices, it all begins in the mind.

Read the full article: http://hubpages.com/hub/is_it_really_paranormal_activity_or_my_mind_playing_tricks

In the realm of paranormal research, evidence is key and audio is a cornerstone to that evidence. Listening to the enhanced audio clips from an investigation can turn a rather ho-hum presentation into a fantastic discovery that leaves everyone involved speechless. The problem is, many investigators aren’t sure how to get from raw film footage to workable audio files. While we’ll be the first to admit that the process of data review is tedious and time consuming (how long can YOU stare at a quiet, empty room before you fall asleep?), the process of extracting the audio from your video files is actually quite simple. With the help of this article, you’ll be splitting audio from video in no time, and even performing a few basic enhancements (enhancements, not enchantments!) to that audio in no time!

Read the full article here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Paranormal-Research-Techniques-Extracting-Audio-from-Video-Files

The word is formed by combining the Greek prefix para-, which means “alongside, beyond, altered, contrary,” with the word norma, a Latin word meaning “rule or pattern”. By understanding that the word is created through the combination of these two parts, we can draw a simple conclusion: whoever coined the term was educated enough to have at least a passing acquaintance with both Latin and Greek. While it might not seem like a major clue, it eliminates a large portion of the population at the time.

Read the entire article here: http://hubpages.com/hub/themeaningofparanormal

William Randolph Hearst, a famous American businessman, purchased the Cloisters and outer buildings in 1925. He had workers dismantle the structures, packing each stone in hay inside one of 11,00 wooden crates, intending to ship the entire Monastery home to the United States. The process would have been a smooth one, had the stones themselves been numbered in some way, but instead, the workers labeled the boxes. Enter the US Department of Agriculture, who realized that there was an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease in Segovia and, afraid that the crates would spread the illness in the US, they quarantined the shipment. During the quarantine, they broke open the crates and burned the hay, which was a possible carrier of the disease. Then they put the stones back- without ensuring they went into the correct crates.

Hearst suffered financial losses right at the time that the crates were released, forcing the entire Monastery to go up for auction in its disassembled form. The stones remained in a warehouse for 26 years before W. Edgemon and R. Moss purchased them. It was 1953, and they decided the Monatery would make a great tourist attraction. It took 19 months and 1.5 million dollars to put the pieces back together; the process was time consuming and there are still stones left over.

I highly recommend a side trip to the Monastery if you’re ever in the area. The story is fascinating and the scenery beautiful, so don’t miss it if you ever get the opportunity!

In Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, the White Queen tells Alice that in her land, “memory works both ways.” Not only can the Queen remember things from the past, but she also remembers “things that happened the week after next.” Alice attempts to argue with the Queen, stating “I’m sure mine only works one way…I can’t remember things before they happen.” The Queen replies, “It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards.”

This is the opening paragraph from a really interesting article published over at the Psychology Today blog The Social Thinker, written by Melissa Burkley, Ph.D.  The idea invokes an interesting discussion of what memory is, what precognition might be and how the two are related.  Imagine, just for a moment, being able to ‘remember’ the future.  Consider the idea of being able to improve your mid-term final grade, business dinner or even that conversation with your mother-in-law simply by thinking about them and perfecting them in your own mind after they happen.

The implications of this possible evidence within the paranormal community could be far reaching; it introduces almost as many questions as it provides answers for.  Here is a bit more information on the research:

Dr. Bem, a social psychologist at Cornell University, conducted a series of studies that will soon be published in one of the most prestigious psychology journals (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology). Across nine experiments, Bem examined the idea that our brain has the ability to not only reflect on past experiences, but also anticipate future experiences. This ability for the brain to “see into the future” is often referred to as psi phenomena.

I would love to hear everyone else’s opinion on this study.  How do you think it will affect the paranormal field? Do you believe the findings (based on the original article) are valid proof that we are (or can be) psychic?

If you’re like us, you’ll love this upcoming event! Dr. Wentz is an amazing speaker who will keep you entertained and take the time to answer any questions you might have. We’ll be there- hope you will too!

Join Dr. Rachel Wentz as she explores the strange role the skeleton has played in human culture.

Tuesday, October 19 at 6:30 pm
Ft. Pierce Library
101 Melody Lane
Fort Pierce
(772) 462-2878

Ready for a tantalizing touch of the spooky- mixed with a healthy dose of history? We’ve concocted the perfect combination for a fantastic Halloween event! After the tour is over, spend time walking around the park to do an investigation of your own! The first 50 participants will receive goody-bags! Children 12 and over only, please. Tours will begin at 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 p.m, and, due to limited parking, reservations are required. Reservations can be made by calling (772) 801-0177.

I want to hear about the haunted trees in your area. I know that many communities have them, so if yours is one of them, I ask that you please stop by and fill out a haunted tree report for me.  The form is quick and easy, and should only take a couple minutes, but would help me immensly with my research.

Thanks in advance!

The Scientific Method

According to what I learned in school, the scientific method contains steps. It’s a process, one that begins with observation and research. Back in the day, we were taught that the method was as follows:

• Observation/Research
• Hypothesis
• Prediction
• Experimentation
• Conclusion

Now, I don’t know if they’ve updated this process since I left school, but I still stand by the steps included here. I should also probably point out that I understand that not all scientific research can adhere to these steps, but I’d like to think that cases such as that are the exception, not the rule. So how does this process apply to paranormal research? Well, from my own experience, we’ve never left the observation and research phase. Skeptics clamor for proof of the beyond, irrefutable evidence that ghosts exist; this isn’t possible to provide, because there are no conclusions here- only theory. As we collect our observations and conduct our research, the theory we work with might change, but it is impossible to design an experiment without knowing what you are trying to accomplish or prove with that experimentation. All of this leads to the existence of skeptics and believers, those who are adamant that the paranormal exists in the context of ghosts, hauntings and other spiritually-linked events and those who are just as adamant that there is no proof, therefore it can’t possibly be real. For the purpose of this blog post, we’re going to define these two terms as follows:

skeptic: n.
1. One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.

believer: n.
1. a supporter who accepts something as true

If you’re ready for more, this article continues after the jump.

The Case for Observation

A large portion of the start of any scientific research is observation. Like an apple falling on your head, the spark of curiosity has to come from somewhere- and where better than our own personal experiences? Once we’ve had that experience, once the curiosity is sparked, we go about trying to find an explanation. This might come in the form of psychology, physics, environmental science; the list of possible sources for our experiences is nearly endless. At this point, the discussion must involve our skeptics and believers in this process. To skeptics, no amount of observation would deserve further investigation because, based on their very nature, it is all hoax and sham. To believers, there is no need to delve further into the situation, no scientific experimentation necessary because, based on their very nature, it has been proven to be just through their own experience. Let’s dig a little deeper.

Aristotle, Skeptics and A Flat, Flat World

When it comes to believers, it seems that no amount of scientific evidence will alter their beliefs. A perfect example of this can be found in the belief that the world is flat. Let’s examine this belief closely.

Back in the time when Ancient Greece was a happening place (500 BC and 400 BC respectively, to be specific) Pythagoras proposed the idea that the earth was actually a sphere. He based this purely on aesthetic grounds, so if nobody believed him, I can understand why. He wasn’t alone, though. Plato agreed that a spherical earth was where it was at; he wrote about it in his 4th and final dialogue Phaedo. The problem was, they were facing a pretty tough audience; an entire world of believers who thought the world was flat, so it isn’t much of a leap of faith to recognize that the theory of a round world took awhile to catch on.  That’s when Aristotle (384-322 BC) arrived on the scene.

So, Aristotle offered up his proof that the world was round; the question is, did anyone believe him?  If you think I’m about to introduce the story of Columbus and his quest to prove the earth round, you’re wrong! Actually, in 1945 the Historical Association (an organisation founded in 1906 in London, England that operates with the goals of supporting “the study and enjoyment of history at all levels by creating an environment that promotes lifelong learning and provides for the evolving needs of people who share an interest in history.”) listed “Columbus and the Flat Earth Conception” second of twenty in its first-published pamphlet on common errors in history. No, I’m not going to play the Columbus card; instead, I’m simply going to ask a single question, one that might surprise you.

If we had ignored the observations of Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle and the others, would we still believe the world is flat?

How does science advance, without the personal accounts of individuals who are taking a unique look at the world around them? To the believers in this instance, the accepted conclusion is that the world is flat, and that doesn’t require any confirmation or research- despite personal observations. I equate this position with that of modern ‘skeptics’ who seem thrown off by the idea that paranormal researchers are recording their observations. But let’s look at another angle of Aristotle before we finish.

Aristotle, Believers and Our World at the Center of the Universe

I think we can all agree that Aristotle was a pretty amazing guy, a stand-up citizen, someone whom most people would believe if he professed to have had an ‘experience’ with the paranormal. The skeptics, of course, would say it was just because he was overly tired and it was his mind playing tricks on him, but the believers would take his story at face value. Would either be right in doing so? I don’t think so, and I can tell you why.

Back when Aristotle was busy proving that the world was round, he also shared another observation: that the Earth was the center of the Universe and that the stars (sun included) revolved around our little blue planet. Now, most people today would chuckle at such a quaint idea, but based on Aristotle’s observations, it was a pretty strong theory. Skeptics around the world can rejoice in this story, as it highlights just how fallible a personal experience can be- and how unrealistic society’s response to ‘real’ scientific data is. As a case in point, here’s a wonderful website for you to visit: StaticEarth.net.

Surprised to find that, in today’s modern age of science, there are still those who think the world is the center of the universe?

I wasn’t- they’re believers, and no matter how much science ‘proves’ a ‘fact’, they’ll continue to believe it to be wrong.

The Paranormal Investigator

So what’s the difference between a skeptic and a believer? In my opinion, there isn’t one. Skeptics and Believers are interchangable depending on which side of the ‘fence’ you’re on. You might be wondering where a paranormal investigator might fall in this array; some are skeptics, some are believers, but the majority that I’ve encountered are actually somewhere smack in the middle. I generally refer to them as ‘realists,’ but that’s just because I am partial to the term.

It is my opinion that a good paranormal investigator will do the following:

• Collect data and observations through accepted means
• Formulate theories based on this data and observation
• Conduct experiments in an attempt to prove or disprove those theories

Now, it’s very important to me that I point out that ‘personal experiences’ are data and observations, even if the ‘skeptic’ wants to refute the point. They are no different than Aristotle looking up into the night sky and noting the shadow on the moon during an eclipse. These accounts can not be dismissed out of hand. Imagine if Lady Justice became our chief scientist, working while blindfolded. What sort of results would that prove? I really don’t want to find out! So when we go out and collect data, we should indeed record the personal experiences, but with the understanding that they do not prove or disprove anything; they’re just data and observations. Which, in turn, brings us back to the idea that investigators are simply collecting data. That’s great, but the real question is what are you collecting it for? Without a clear goal, a reason to collect that data, there seems to be little point in gathering it in the first place.

It is also important that I point out that the idea of paranormal activity falling outside the ‘repeatable results’ range is difficult for me to agree with. As a case in point, I have to refer to the ‘ghost particle’. For a quick overview of this scientific mystery, visit PBS.org. If you follow the timeline, you’ll find that the first theory emerged in 1920, but it wasn’t until 1998 that they found the answer (which, btw, resulted in a Nobel Prize). The lengths which they had to go through in order to find their proof were amazing- a look at the Super-K will show just what they were willing to do to find an answer. So, as an investigator, the question isn’t on the amount or type of data you collect, but how far you’re willing to go to categorically prove your theory. If you can’t repeat the results, then you have nothing more than a good working theory- which is fine, but is still not ‘proof’.

Where Does It All Lead?

For our team, it leads to actual experiments. We are currently collecting data in order to design an experiment around the experience of ‘battery drain’. While we develop this theory, we are also collecting data from supposedly haunted locations. For each investigation, we take the observations we can not explain and try to find experts in the field who might be better able to provide a source. When that fails, it moves into an ‘undetermined source’ file; when we’ve collected enough of these, we’ll take a look at the observations and see if there are any commonalities that might develop into a working theory. It could take years- or just one really active location, but in the meantime, we’ll keep collecting our data with open minds, our thoughts and actions somewhere in the center of the skeptic and believer array.

It was an especially troubling session- we went through 21 fresh batteries and had three separate cameras shut off, some of them doing so twice. When we left the investigation location, we used a volt meter on the ‘bad’ batteries and discovered that they all still carried a charge. Frustrated, we popped them into a camera and, after running a video camera for 30 minutes and taking an addition 50 still photographs, the batteries were still going strong.

Now, we’re not certain what might be causing this, but we were in a climate controlled location- which means that temperature fluctuations can be ruled out. So we decided to ask investigation teams from all over the world to share their battery drain experiences with us, to see if we can find a common thread to the events.

If you’d like to participate, you can do so by simply emailing us a record of your battery drain events as they happen.

We’ll be making the results public through a Google Docs spreadsheet once we have a sampling of events- we believe that the more people we have working on this, the better!

You can fill out the form online – all it takes is a bit of documentation at the time of the event.