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Could ghosts actually be a life form?

Cainkane1 said:
Watching Ghost Hunters and other ghost hunting programs one fact has always intrigued me. Batterys go dead and unopened packs of batteries arte found to be dead when opened. Supposedly this is because ghosts use this type of energy to exist.

Ok would this be scientifically possible? Could a living thing made up of energy live and reproduce and develope a type of intelligence? If so then these creatures would not be the souls of the dead but a life form.

Ghost behaviour seems similar to an animal protecting its space in much the same way as a cave bear would resist intrusion by humans. Even the Casper type stories could be explained by the fact that many species of animals enjoy the company of human beings.

The programs are probably hogwash but has anyone else ever suggested this?
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If there was an energy-only equivalent to what we define as life (system showing reproduction, a mrtabolism etc.), such "organisms" would presumably be so different from "matter" life that they'd neither attempt interaction nor show interpretable behaviour patterns. I wouldn't expect a virus to protect a territory or enjoy someone's company, and these would be incomparably stranger...
 
And quit being so self-righteous, guys, this is a thought experiment and not a case of some creduloid that needs to be educated.
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Agreed. Lighten up, people.
 
Cainkane1 said:
Watching Ghost Hunters and other ghost hunting programs one fact has always intrigued me. Batterys go dead and unopened packs of batteries arte found to be dead when opened. Supposedly this is because ghosts use this type of energy to exist.
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How fresh were those batteries, and how often does this happen in real-life? Most batteries have a limited shelf life and will go flat if left too long. (The basic dry-cell battery has a shelf life of around 1.5 years.)

But why would a ghost bother with batteries when it can get thousands of times the electricity from the nearest power outlet? (The fact that the ghost can supposedly get to the battery even though it's sealed in the packet means it would have no trouble getting to the back of the power outlet where there's always power even when the switch is turned off.) Or can ghosts only live off of DC power?

Cainkane1 said:
Ok would this be scientifically possible? Could a living thing made up of energy live and reproduce and develope a type of intelligence? If so then these creatures would not be the souls of the dead but a life form.
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What form of energy would this be? "Energy" is merely an abstract concept. What particles and forces are you suggesting would be at work for a real-life "ghost" to exist?

As far as I'm aware, it is not possible (based on our current understanding of physics) for incorporeal creatures exhibiting the properties generally attributed to ghosts to exist.

Cainkane1 said:
Ghost behaviour seems similar to an animal protecting its space in much the same way as a cave bear would resist intrusion by humans. Even the Casper type stories could be explained by the fact that many species of animals enjoy the company of human beings.
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As we have no reliable documented accounts of ghost behavior (or even ghost existence) generally accepted as factual, it's nothing more than unfounded speculation (ie. blind guesswork) debating why ghosts may or may not act in a manner they are rumored to behave. It achieves nothing. Better to debate whether or not they actually exist before debating possible motives for various behavior.
 
The Fallen Serpent said:
If "we" meant humanity in general my correction is more accurate. If "we" meant a subset you need to specify which subset as "we" within a skeptics forum will generally refer to skeptics unless stated otherwise.
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understandable, when put like that is does form another group within this forum. Most thread starters who are different to the repliers =]
 
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Funny that the 'dead battery packs' seem to be happening to ghost hunters (who in turn make a big deal of it on those tv shows). Judging from the wild sensationalism of the rest of the show, how much do you trust that 'analysis'.

But if ghosts are around, they're NOT just in the places ghost hunters happen to be. They'd be in thousands of places, even places where they're not previously noticed. Why doesn't Duracell have lots of problems with bad battery packs from these ghosts being returned as defective?
 
rorylee said:
First thought on the question - from what we know about ghosts in general from stories n so on. We know they can 'SEE' you.

Now if i was a ghost and could see you with a camera walking around, i wouldn't want to be caught on tape just as a thief doesn't. Though people might get lucky now n again and who knows ghosts could be telepathic as well.
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Why would a ghost avoid being photographed? If they exist they have as much right to life as anything else. If they are inhabiting an abandoned house or whatever they could be helped. For instance if they really do use battery type energy then you could set up a transformer. They would have a banquet then.


If they existed I'd really enjoy living in a haunted house. Talk to them. Interract with them.

Ok this is hogwash. I made this post for the fun of it.
 
I Ratant said:
. When we down in the bowels of the boat into the spectral apparition areas, my camera wouldn't take any pictures!
"Battery Exhausted" on the LCD.
Yeah, right.*
Didn't get any photos of the ghosts in the swimming pool, or the power room, or "Half-Hatch Harry" with -that- camera.
The camera on my cell phone worked just fine, as did the cameras of other people on the tour.
*The batteries did recover enough for a couple flash photos in the engine room.
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The spirit was willing but the flash was weak?
 
I'm still waiting for someone to patent the first ghost-powered refrigerator
or airco. Well, doesn't the temperature drop in the presence of a ghost? What a boon to developing countries!
 
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Cainkane1 said:
Why would a ghost avoid being photographed? If they exist they have as much right to life as anything else. If they are inhabiting an abandoned house or whatever they could be helped. For instance if they really do use battery type energy then you could set up a transformer. They would have a banquet then.


If they existed I'd really enjoy living in a haunted house. Talk to them. Interract with them.

Ok this is hogwash. I made this post for the fun of it.
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I can see what you're getting at. Its just the same as why people don't like there photo been taken. If they exist, maybe they have some set of rules they have to live by, like we do.

Imagine yourself as a ghost ( i guess thats what you did ) you'd know more existed and might follow the rules to get beyond ghost like or just simply turn negative and haunt ppl - which usually are the most common experiences.

Though i would personally love to have a ghost friend like in the movie 'High How' ;)
 
Brian-M said:
But why would a ghost bother with batteries when it can get thousands of times the electricity from the nearest power outlet? ....Or can ghosts only live off of DC power?
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Of course you realize you've just invented the ultimate ghost-hunting apparatus/trap?

Please do not attempt the following, unless you are comfortable working with exposed 120V AC leads:

Strip the leads off one end of a power cord, leave a good length of each stripped. Plug the other end into a wall outlet and leave the exposed leads in the middle of the room. For safety's sake, support them in a mechanical apparatus, before plugging in the cord.

Or, if ghosts only eat DC, you can use a 120V AC to 24V DC converter and leave a pair of exposed leads, as above. You wouldn't want to use a 12V DC battery, because the ghosts might be able to drain it too quickly.

Either way, just get a chair, turn off the lights and wait for all the power hungry ghosts to show up!

If the ghosts only take trickle-charge, you could even measure that by putting a meter in line with your apparatus. If you're not sure whether ghosts eat AC or only DC, you can experiment and try it both ways! Science!

:D
 
Jimbo07 said:
Of course you realize you've just invented the ultimate ghost-hunting apparatus/trap?

Please do not attempt the following, unless you are comfortable working with exposed 120V AC leads:

Strip the leads off one end of a power cord, leave a good length of each stripped. Plug the other end into a wall outlet and leave the exposed leads in the middle of the room. For safety's sake, support them in a mechanical apparatus, before plugging in the cord.

Or, if ghosts only eat DC, you can use a 120V AC to 24V DC converter and leave a pair of exposed leads, as above. You wouldn't want to use a 12V DC battery, because the ghosts might be able to drain it too quickly.

Either way, just get a chair, turn off the lights and wait for all the power hungry ghosts to show up!

If the ghosts only take trickle-charge, you could even measure that by putting a meter in line with your apparatus. If you're not sure whether ghosts eat AC or only DC, you can experiment and try it both ways! Science!

:D
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.
You've found the reason car batteries discharge when left on a concrete floor!
It's not the charge is never topped off, it's all those ghosts sucking the ergs out!
The mystery is solved!
CONFIRMED!
 
We had a lot of rain the past two days and there was some lightning, my girlfriend thought she heard strange noises last night and this morning my car's battery was flat. There was also a strange smell in the car, I think it smells vaguely evil......
 
Cainkane1 said:
Thats true but has there been any reality based scientific discussions on this possibility?
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I think the idea there could be life forms, including intelligent life forms which are so different from us we can't yet comprehend the fact they are sentient or alive as we define it is a legit scientific contemplation.

For example, plants were recently shown to be using some kind of quantum computing (if this NewScientist article is reliable):

Nature's hot green quantum computers revealed
 


(Give it a little time - it gets to ghosts eventually.)
 
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Maybe everyone's been looking at this the wrong way up.

Maybe instead of Ghosts draining the power from batteries, the batteries are full of ghosts, and then it stands to reason that when the ghosts escape from the batteries, people see/sense them but their cameras don't work because there is no ghost left in the battery... in an Elvis has left the building kind of way?
 
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