Infrasound, EMF and Misinformation
These are interesting times for paranormal research. Groundbreaking research is being conducted into subjects like Electro Magnetic Fields and Infrasound. But why are researchers left bemused by reception of this new knowledge?
The paranormal is the ‘unknown’; we all know this, but the practical implications can be staggering. When an individual experiences a haunting, or investigators research a haunting case, the sheer volume of data with no explanation can sometimes be overwhelming.
The propensity of many minds is to simplify this; provide a framework for understanding. Some accept spiritualism, or religion, or the simple belief in ghosts. These frameworks can provide us with the tools to understand – often very easily – but are not proven or scientific. Religion, belief and spiritualism do, and always have, rested on the assumption that they are not scientifically provable. You either believe or you do not, personal proof is all you need.
But where does leave the scientific investigator? Without the faith or belief to provide a framework, science and rationalism becomes our framework. But science does not have all the answers in a field that is essentially ‘unknown’.
The temptation of many is to latch onto new or old scientific discoveries and apply them to almost everything unknown.
Weak, complex EM fields are known to lead people to have certain ambiguous experiences that people attribute to hauntings. A similar story is emerging from current Infrasound research. At worst some investigators latch onto these ideas, claiming EM fields and Infrasound actually cause ghosts. All the evidence suggest EM field and Infrasound cause people to, essentially, have hallucinations or strange experiences which are entirely natural. Yet it is surprising the number of websites that claim these factors cause, or are caused by, spirits.
In many ways an even worse reaction is the acceptance and over-application of the scientific reasoning. Many rational websites, not to mention the mass media, are now claiming that EM fields and Infrasound could be the route cause for most hauntings. But it is not that easy! Emerging research shows EM fields and Infrasound can explain experiences in a very small number of cases. The odds are that even EM field and Infrasound like experiences have nothing to do with these factors.
The probable reality is that we can rarely explain away ghost experiences as being down to EM fields and Infrasound. Whilst they have a very important place, some of the time, it is likely that the explanations are right in front of your eyes. Studying the psychology of perception is certainly a less easy or clear-cut route to explanation than pointing to these discoveries, but you might just find that it is the right way.