New Scientist and ghosts.... sigh

[Third Eye Open]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427321.200-where-do-ghosts-come-from.html?full=true

I am here because of a controversial theory that some reports of ghosts could be caused by unusual magnetic fields triggering strange reactions in the brain. There's a long tradition of hunting for such fields at supposedly haunted locations - and even of trying to produce them in the lab. So far, results have been mixed, so I have followed neuroscientists and psychologists to Muncaster Castle to see if, in this case at least, science can lay a ghostly mystery to rest.

Since when is the idea that magnets can do anything at all to the human body anything other than bs? Controversial my ass.

Happy Halloween, I guess.

 

[Brian-M]

Since when is the idea that magnets can do anything at all to the human body anything other than bs? Controversial my ass.

Massively powerful magnetic pulses can stimulate the brain.

Look up Wikipedia: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

There are numerous studies on brain function that make use of this effect. (Such as: http://www.clinicalconnection.com/exp/ExpandedPatientViewStudy234349.aspx )

On the other hand, it's not plausible that magnetic fields of this magnitude would be present in "haunted" houses.

 

[Maia]

Massively powerful magnetic pulses can stimulate the brain.

Look up Wikipedia: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

There are numerous studies on brain function that make use of this effect. (Such as: http://www.clinicalconnection.com/exp/ExpandedPatientViewStudy234349.aspx )

On the other hand, it's not plausible that magnetic fields of this magnitude would be present in "haunted" houses.

There was a thread about it right here, and in particular, we talked about Persinger's work concerning the effects of EMF's on test subjects in a controlled lab setting. There were some fairly reliable results in that particular context (a large percentage of the subjects reported a consistent experience of a "sensed presence" and strange smells, fears, etc., under double-blind conditions.) He did do a few studies on things like susceptible subjects brought to "haunted houses" who apparently re-experienced "ghost viewings" when EMF's were artificially created. I don't know how reliable those conditions were as compared to the controlled studies, and they don't say anything about the conditions that originally existed at any location where "ghosts" were supposedly seen.

I think that the results of all of these studies are fascinating, if nothing else, and there's enough to back them up to be able to say that they're not just complete b.s. We do have the studies listed in the thread, and they should be duplicated under more controlled conditions. (One big problem, though, is that having people spend the night in a supposed "haunted room" could never be a controlled condition. There may never be a way to do this outside of a lab situation.) Whatever the final result is, the evidence available now certainly does tend to point to the conclusion that the EMF phenomenon would be a natural explanation for what's been claimed as a paranormal experience. At least Braithwaite isn't saying that he's going to prove that there are real ghosts!

 

[icerat]

Some interesting work by Robert Holcomb out of Vanderbilt also, with field gradient (not strength) apparently having an effect on neurons.

http://www.neuromagnetics.com/site/articles/articles.php