The paranormal, or supernatural, is anything that can’t be explained with our current understanding of science. It may include ghosts, spirits, out-of-body experiences, psychic abilities like telepathy and mind reading, and other unexplained phenomena. Those who believe in the paranormal argue that there is more to the universe than just the physical world, which is why they hold superstitions like believing breaking a mirror will bring seven years of bad luck or believing the dead can communicate with the living through a Ouija board.
Scientists who study paranormal beliefs use psychology and sociology to understand why people believe what others consider fantasy, such as witches, aliens, telepathy, reincarnation, and the afterlife. They also debate whether or not the alleged paranormal is scientifically viable.
A common method is participant observation, which involves immersing oneself in a subject. It’s used in studies of phobias, sex and drug addictions. Some critics of this approach argue it threatens the researcher’s objectivity and leads to a reliance on subjective measurement. Other criticisms focus on the potential to create illusions and skewed sensory perceptions in the lab that could be linked to participants’ own beliefs.
Other researchers have adapted electronic equipment to monitor haunted locations for electromagnetic energy. These devices are designed to pick up electromagnetic frequencies that are supposedly caused by spirits, according to theories that have developed over time. For example, one device called a SLS (Sensory Loose Scale) is used by paranormal investigators, Tennell said. It lights up and makes noise when it’s near a spirit, which helps investigators locate the source of the activity. A team from Concho Valley Paranormal recently used an EMF pod during an investigation at a haunted Yorktown Memorial Hospital in Texas. The EMF detector, a small box with its own antenna, measures electromagnetic fields in the room. It’s a “high form of electromagnetic energy,” the team said.