Well they went crazy bringing over FLIR cameras, magnetic field detectors, movement sensors and cameras and a raft of other junk. All of a sudden it was ghost central there. But it all fell apart when I asked them some hard questions they refused to answer such as:
How can you tell a normal everyday magnetic field from a ghost magnetic field?
Answer: You can't tell. Why? Because in 140 years of paranormal research, some actually conducted by scientists who know how to work Tri-Field Meters, there has been NO consistent data to even suggest fluctuations in certain spectrums of the magnetic field is paranormal. Between geology and meteorology alone you have dozens of reasons why your cool box is lighting up or spiking or whatever the cool kids call it.
And you need access to a ghost to test your equipment on...so you see the problem.
How can a FLIR camera tell the reading is from warm or cold air and surfaces rather than a ghost?
I don't know how to work a FLIR and my guess is most "paranormal researchers" don't either. The good FLIR cameras start at $3,000 (US) and they're used in construction, automobile maintenance, and some of the better cameras are used to detect gasses. If I was to shell out that kind of cash I would at the least use the "black & white" filter instead of the full color setting because while they suck at spotting non-existent beings they are great at finding rodents, bats, raccoons, and other creatures who live under homes.
The problem with the full color spectrum is that confirmation bias sets in quickly and that leads to false interpretations.
The biggest problem? Let's say there is a real phenomenon; it would have to be weak on every level, and this would require super sensitive FLIRs with big lenses like you find on military vehicles. I have no idea how much they cost but I suspect they're beyond most people's finances. So the average ghost hunter is bring a spray bottle to fight a forest fire with the low-end FLIR.
Are you aware a 140 year old house creaks and groans all the time every season? The floors always groaned in every room. No sneaking around that house.
Yup. I love old houses. Concrete buildings with steel frames have their own chorus of blood curdling sounds.
Finally, how can anything detect a ghost when nobody knows what they are or even if they exist?
BINGO.
A great example is the smoke-detector. A device that registers smoke where there shouldn't be any smoke, and does so long before the smoke is seen or smelled. They were a big deal when first introduced, and they were tested over and over. Today in the US the base smoke detector starts at $10, but in many cities you can get one for free from the local fire department. In California we are required to have a combination smoke and CO2 detector.
(CO2 is a leading cause of people seeing and hearing ghosts BTW).
To test any equipment you need a test subject. Nobody has access to a real ghost so nobody can definitively claim any of the cool gadgets work. Working this side of the fence I've always been amazed at how inconsistent these devices are in relation to the claimed real-time activity reported. There is zero correlation between readings on any device and the weird things that sometimes occur.
There are two conclusions that can be drawn: Ghosts aren't real, or if they are then none of the technology being used is effective beyond draining your checking account.
They brought over an empath who moaned and cried throughout the tour about the lost souls in the house needing their freedom. I asked her to name some and no luck. Apparently they can talk to relatives but nobody else and their earthly names are a secret. So I said how many and again evasiveness and vagaries. "Many" was the main response.
I would never work with a psychic. Maybe a dog just because I like dogs and they're more useful than psychics because they can sniff out rodents.
The funny thing is that the most "active" places I've ever encountered were locations where nobody died. These places drove me to figure out why this happened. From these places I learned about the power infrasound caused by air-flow through the large empty building and how it works with your mind.
Creepy stuff but not paranormal.
The most comfortable room I've ever stood in was one where a Sergeant blew his brains out back in the 1980s.
All in all I had a fun time but they sure were annoying announcing a new spirit every time the house creaked. It is a very well built manor style house that has been maintained very well over the years. No hidden alcoves or secret spaces to be found. I looked.
It got rather comical listening to the believers try to justify the paradoxes.
Goal-Post moving. Worse, it sounds like they were feeding off of each other reinforcing their delusion.
I'll state my position again: The question isn't if ghosts are real, the question is why do honest people see or hear them?
The first question cannot be answered. The second question can and the many answers are fascinating. It's not sexy like a TV psychic but still cool.
