A paranormal phenomenon is one that is claimed to be outside current scientific explanation and attributed to supernatural, folkloric or magical origins. These events include ghosts, hauntings, UFO sightings, crop circles and other unexplained phenomena. There are hundreds of paranormal research societies that investigate reported paranormal activity. Some also conduct field research at locations alleged to be haunted by ghosts and other creatures. Some paranormal research groups are based at universities where students study the supernatural for a living.
A person who works on paranormal investigations must be able to think critically, use technology and gather data. Their work can involve interviewing witnesses, spending time in an alleged haunted location and investigating the area with specialized equipment. They may recommend spiritual or medical treatment when appropriate.
Generally, a ghost is the consciousness of someone who has died that remains disembodied in the paranormal realm. There are other entities in this realm, however, including demons and inter-dimensional beings. A haunting is a repetitive paranormal event that can be caused by many different things, such as electromagnetic energy given off by outlets and cell phones or by an intelligent poltergeist or vortex of spirit energy.
Forensic scientists who specialize in the paranormal often collect, analyze and explain evidence from sites of unexplained incidents or reports of supernatural activity such as disappearances, ghosts or animal hauntings. This is a career choice that requires a degree and specialized training, but some forensic scientists choose to focus on the paranormal because it allows them to combine their forensic science skills with their interest in the unknown.