While there is no definitive scientific proof ghosts exist, paranormal investigators collect tantalizing evidence that hints consciousness may, in fact, survive death. While people may disagree on what exactly comprises evidence ghosts exist, however, you will see much that is commonly agreed upon as offering proof of spirits.
Audio Evidence of Ghosts and Hauntings
Investigators seek audio evidence to show ghosts may, indeed, be real. Such evidence may be recorded on instruments, or witnesses may hear it. Many believe these audio phenomena may indicate ghosts are real and trying to communicate. In fact, Thomas Edison was a strong believer that some day, living humans would be able to communicate with the dead via instrumentation.
Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP)
EVP is one of the most common types of evidence investigators collect. EVP occurs when voices or sounds not heard in the moment appear on a recording media, such as a tape, video, or voice recorder. While a majority of this type of evidence is ghostly voices, some may be other sounds, as well, such as animal noises, crashes, doors opening and closing, and other sounds that appear on the recording media that do not match actual physical events occurring when the recording is captured. EVP is further classified into different types depending on how clear and understandable the audio is.
Instrumental Transcommunication (ITC)
EVP is a form of ITC, but there are other types investigators use to gather audio evidence as well. In ITC, investigators use other instruments to give spirits an acoustic medium to gather sound and turn it into words they can use to communicate. To capture it as evidence, investigators use a recorder to track sounds on a recording medium. Some of the instruments used for ITC include:
- Ghost box: With this tool, a transistor radio is set to scan stations instead of stopping on one. This scanning creates background noise through which spirits may be able to communicate.
- Ovilus: The Ovilus is an instrument that has a library of pre-programmed words. Some believe ghosts may be able to manipulate the words in the instrument to communicate. Digital Dowsing created the Ovilus, but there are similar instruments others have created as well.
- Smartphone apps: Some also use phone apps, such as EchoVox, which use various forms of sounds to allow spirits to create words and communication.
Disembodied Voices
Occasionally, investigators also capture disembodied voices on recording media. These differ from EVP in that at least one person hears the voice in the moment, and it appears on a recording.
Photographic and Video Ghost Evidence
Photographs and videos may also offer ghostly evidence. Opinions vary on what actually serves as photographic or video evidence of spirits. Some of the various things investigators may consider evidence include:
- Orbs are highly controversial in the paranormal field, but they commonly appear in images and in video. Often, orbs are an artifact of the photography, or they may be bugs or reflective dust. Nevertheless, many believe some orbs may also constitute paranormal evidence.
- Light anomalies are another controversial piece of evidence. These may be streaks, rods, or other similar odd looking bits of light or blur. In photography and video, they are often associated with movement, light settings, ambient light, and shutter speed; however, some people feel some of these may also offer evidence of a haunting.
- Partial or full-body apparitions are what investigators truly hope to capture on video or in photos. These most frequently appear in photos as shadow figures, transparent figures, or misty figures, and they may be a full body or just a few body parts.
Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF)
Many investigators also measure EMF and consider changes in electromagnetic frequency as evidence. As with other potential evidence, the presence of high EMF remains a controversial finding.
Personal Experiences
Personal experiences may also offer evidence. The problem with personal experience as evidence, however, is there is no way of objectively measuring it. However, if a personal experience occurs in conjunction with other findings, it may provide stronger evidence. Personal experience includes receiving psychic information, experiencing cold or hot spots, hearing voices or seeing things not caught on recordings, experiencing doors opening and closing, hearing footsteps, and similar experiences.
Objective Evidence of Spirits and Ghosts
Paranormal investigators seek to measure the existence of ghosts objectively and pair those measurements with subjective experience to create a full picture of the phenomena. However, controversy remains as to what truly constitutes evidence ghosts exist.
