Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => That CAN'T be true! => Topic started by: Simulated on 21/07/2007 01:20:56

Title: Ghost..
Post by: Simulated on 21/07/2007 01:20:56
Are they real?

I was watching a show on SciFi and it is titled "Ghost Hunters". There was this thing called the K2 meter. They could "talk to the ghost" with it. They would ask the ghost a question like are you a female? 2 spikes for yes 1 for no. (Spike on the meter). And they would answer that question. Then they go are there more of you around here? The Ghost would answer with a yes or no.

This sort of freaked me out because they keep the meter going.

Then later in the show they asked the ghost to drop the room temperature from 69 degrees to 62. And surprisingly it did. Just that one little area.

Now if this is not proff (idk how to spell it) that there are ghost then I don't know what would be.

What are you opinions on this topic?
Title: Ghost..
Post by: paul.fr on 21/07/2007 06:36:32
Simple answer, no ghosts do not exist.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: paul.fr on 21/07/2007 09:31:35
Are they real?

I was watching a show on SciFi and it is titled "Ghost Hunters". There was this thing called the K2 meter. They could "talk to the ghost" with it. They would ask the ghost a question like are you a female? 2 spikes for yes 1 for no. (Spike on the meter). And they would answer that question. Then they go are there more of you around here? The Ghost would answer with a yes or no.

This sort of freaked me out because they keep the meter going.


Ok. firstly these shows are about showing you the ghost, relying on the people that watch them to also believe that ghosts exist. They then use dodgy science, or rely on the viewer not knowing their science to prove the existance of the ghost.

The k2 meter is an EMF Detector, otherwise known as electromagnetic field detectors, they are supposed to pick up on  an apparent electrical field being caused by the ghost, what they actually pick up on are electrical fields caused by electrical objects.

But, no you say. the room was empty, and void of any electrical items such as a tv for instance. Well the walls will still have electrical cable inside them, this will be picked up by the detector and so will their broadcasting equiptment. It's all just a con, plain and simple.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 21/07/2007 09:31:54
Simple answer, yes ghosts do exist. The question should be "What are they?"
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 21/07/2007 09:35:26
Paul - there was a study a while back to do with where ghosts are most often seen. Results showed that most ghost hotspots displayed higher levels of EM from the environment.

I can't remember who it was who did the research, but I'm pretty sure it was a uni. I'll try to find something about it.

I've found this. It's a bit old but I think it's all part of the same research. I'll see if I can find more.

http://www.haque.co.uk/haunt.php (http://www.haque.co.uk/haunt.php)

And there are some papers to download here...

http://www.apaw71.dsl.pipex.com/MADS/htmlfiles/Papers.html (http://www.apaw71.dsl.pipex.com/MADS/htmlfiles/Papers.html)
Title: Ghost..
Post by: paul.fr on 21/07/2007 09:44:51
Simple answer, yes ghosts do exist. The question should be "What are they?"

Doc, i just don't believe it. These are all commercial money making programmes, if you visit a haunted house you expect to see or feel something because you have been told before hand that there is a ghost there.

you will also have had this ghosts appearance discribed to you, and hay presto you have your vision and guess what, its the same man/woman or you felt that ghostly chill whilst walking a draughty coridor in an old house/castle.

All of these people carry cameras, why have they never managed to provide us with a clear cut photo?
Title: Ghost..
Post by: paul.fr on 21/07/2007 09:50:51
i posted before you put those links in, so here are a few counter links to enjoy. the second link contains video clips.

http://www.skeptic.com/reading_room/

http://www.randi.org/
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 21/07/2007 09:57:27
I appreciate that the TV programs are commercial and, as such, go for sensationalism. I've watched a few of them and they are total rubbish.

However, as you may or may not be aware, I've been a student of mysticism & the occult for quite a few years. I've experienced things that seem to defy scientific explanation. I do, though, have a sort-of theory which, guess what, is to do with QM.

Actually, I can't even say that it's a theory yet. It's just a vague inkling I've got. But the more I learn about QM, the better it seems to fit.

I'll try to write down an explanation (not easy as I think more in images than words) & post it here sometime so that you, George, Ian et al can rip it to shreds.  [;D]
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 21/07/2007 09:58:21
Randi annoys me. If a ghost jumped out & bit him on the nose he'd deny it had happened.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 21/07/2007 10:01:24
Thanks for the links. Unfortunately I haven't time to read them yet as I'm going to be very busy today.

We're off to Kent tomorrow to pick up 1 of Sandra's brothers & her sister's year-old niece so we're blitzing the house today. That's not easy with the brats making more mess as fast as we clear up.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: paul.fr on 21/07/2007 10:03:27
Randi annoys me. If a ghost jumped out & bit him on the nose he'd deny it had happened.

that is true, but i like the man. i still hold to the power of persuasion, and the people on such shows are obviously very open to persuasion.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 21/07/2007 10:22:29
Randi annoys me. If a ghost jumped out & bit him on the nose he'd deny it had happened.

i still hold to the power of persuasion, and the people on such shows are obviously very open to persuasion.

Oh, absolutely. It's the same with a lot of "mediums". I went to a theatre once to see a show with a medium. I only went out of curiosity. I was astounded how gullible the audience was. The tricks the medium used were so transparent.

OK, I'm a psychologist so maybe I'm a bit more aware than the average person of how suggestion works. But the way some members of the audience were reeled in was, to be honest, quite scary.

The medium would say something like "I'm getting a message from John. Does anyone know a John who passed away?". Half the audience put up their hands thinking the message is for them. Then the medium says "It's for someone over this side of the theatre". That means 25% are still interested. Medium keeps narrowing it down slightly each time until 1 person is convinced it's a personal message from them. By the time the medium has finished, the person is certain the medium "Got the name, the place, etc etc spot on". Yeah sure!
Title: Ghost..
Post by: Simulated on 21/07/2007 14:27:52
Thanks Guys? LoL.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: that mad man on 25/07/2007 18:54:24
I would like to think that they are not real otherwise I would go crazy trying to find out where they live and why.

And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 25/07/2007 22:56:48
I would like to think that they are not real otherwise I would go crazy trying to find out where they live and why.

And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?

It takes a long time to learn how to rattle chains, and ghosts aren't allowed to haunt until they've mastered the art. That's why there are no modern ghosts.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: Simulated on 28/07/2007 23:09:42
It takes a long time to learn how to rattle chains, and ghosts aren't allowed to haunt until they've mastered the art. That's why there are no modern ghosts.

Wow Doc. Are you sure? That's different!
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/07/2007 23:49:30
It takes a long time to learn how to rattle chains, and ghosts aren't allowed to haunt until they've mastered the art. That's why there are no modern ghosts.

Wow Doc. Are you sure? That's different!

Yes. And learning how to correctly carry one's head under one's arm takes practice too. New ghosts keep banging the top of their necks on things.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: Simulated on 28/07/2007 23:51:15
Um Doc, your scaring me. LoL.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: paul.fr on 28/07/2007 23:53:25


And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?

How frightening would the sound of a ghost tapping away at his PC be?
Title: Ghost..
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/07/2007 23:57:20


And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?

How frightening would the sound of a ghost tapping away at his PC be?

Or texting on its mobile phone  [:o]
Title: Ghost..
Post by: Simulated on 28/07/2007 23:58:44
OMG that would be really messed up.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: tiger on 15/08/2007 05:15:10
Hello...I'm not new to the forum, but this is my first time posting.

If ghosts were existent, then they would not be able to interact with humans; i.e. we would not be able to see them or otherwise physically detect them.  Thus, there is really no way to know if ghosts exist.  Further, if they were to exist, then this world isn't big enough for all of them (if you take into account the total number of people who've died over the years).

Your 'ghost hunters' or whatever definitely aren't a reliable source.  As some already pointed out, their stuff may be skewed b/c they believe in ghosts.  Their rationality (and perhaps their perception) is slightly altered by their expectations.

For example, a rational person would realise that if ghosts could reduce the temperature of a room, they could otherwise interact with the physical universe, and hence take revenge on those who they hate; in this case, many gangs wouldn't exist.

that's my 2 cents on the subject [:)]
Title: Ghost..
Post by: paul.fr on 15/08/2007 07:25:20
Hello Tiger,

do you know how many times women have said that to me [;)] you guessed it, none. [:(!]


For example, a rational person would realise that if ghosts could reduce the temperature of a room, they could otherwise interact with the physical universe, and hence take revenge on those who they hate; in this case, many gangs wouldn't exist.

I like your thinking there, after reading it i do hope there are ghosts. That would give me the perfect opportunity to come back and do the revenge thing, i just hope i have the time before Gail porter discovers me and bores me with her annoying accent.


Title: Ghost..
Post by: dentstudent on 15/08/2007 10:49:52
..and shouldn't there be some sort of correlation between density of populations and density of "ghosts"? There seems o be a very high incidence of sightings in the UK, but very few in other equaly densely inhabited areas. It's a bit like for UFO's, inthat there are certain areas of high frequency sightings (again the UK being one of them). This seems a bit odd, don't you think?
Title: Ghost..
Post by: another_someone on 15/08/2007 13:31:36
Simple answer, yes ghosts do exist. The question should be "What are they?"

But is this not part of the problem - you have a label, but no clear definition of what that label means?

For a word to have meaning, one must know, in some broad sense (not necessarily with absolute specificity) what it is that the word applies to.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: Simulated on 15/08/2007 13:54:14
I still like Doc's
I would like to think that they are not real otherwise I would go crazy trying to find out where they live and why.

And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?

It takes a long time to learn how to rattle chains, and ghosts aren't allowed to haunt until they've mastered the art. That's why there are no modern ghosts.

And just because all those people died don't mean they have to become ghost right? They stay because they want to complete something. Or is Disney Movies lieing to us little kids :P.
Title: Ghost..
Post by: cheryl j on 01/11/2011 19:23:10
One night when my daughter was little, she said she couldnt sleep because she was afraid of ghosts. She was afraid there was one in her closet. She asked me if ghosts were real. I said I didn't think so. I had never seen one, and I never met anybody who had actually seen one. Then I said, "But if I'm wrong,  and if ghosts are just dead people, they must think like people. So, if you were invisible and you could go anywhere and do anything you wanted, would you be hiding in the closet in some kid's room, or would you rather be riding the rides for free at Disney World or surfing in Hawaii or walking around on the moon, or some other amazing, cool thing you always wanted to do when you were alive?"
"I guess you're right," she said. "My closet would be pretty boring for a ghost."

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