Haunting — a term that has become more popular with the growing popularity of paranormal reality shows and other ghost-hunting activities — describes paranormal activity in locations like houses, buildings or parks. It can be a fun hobby, but before you go investigating a haunted place, it’s important to know what to look for.
A haunting can occur in different ways, according to professional ghost hunter and TV star Greg Newkirk. One is a classic intelligent haunting, which has a personality and interacts with people. This type of haunting could be a poltergeist or another spirit that communicates with people in various ways, such as making knocks and other sounds. They may also touch or move things. These spirits usually retain their personalities from when they were alive and can feel emotions — so they might be friendly or not.
Other signs of a haunting include unexplained voices, mysterious noises such as thuds and creaks, or apparitions, which are disembodied spirits that can take on a variety of forms, from the full form of a person to a mist. Another sign of a haunting is a cold spot, which occurs when ghosts draw energy from the air around them and leave a cool area behind. Lastly, certain smells can be an indication of a haunting, but it’s important to note that a variety of things can cause unusual scents, including sinus infections, upper respiratory problems, aging or certain medications.
You can even try a little haunting yourself with an electromagnetic field (EMF) meter, which can pick up on abnormal magnetic variation in the environment, reports Refinery29. However, researchers have questioned whether EMF meters are the answer to all ghost hunting questions, pointing out that certain places can have normal variations in their electromagnetic fields and that the devices themselves can cause people to interpret more mundane sounds as supernatural.