Science of ghosts: New Research

Yesterday was a bit of a busy one because we launched two new online studies into the psychology of ghosts.

We are conducting the first international survey into alleged ghostly experiences, and also hunting for ghost photographs.  The photo on the left shows the first image on the site, and was taken in 1993 when i was researching in India.  There is a strange purple glow around the group.  More importantly, my choice of shorts, shoes and socks defy rational explanation.

Lots of media covered the story (including Channel 4, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Express, The Metro, and The Daily Mail), but probably the most comprehensive piece is this feature in The Scotsman.

The ‘ghost’ photograph site has already had about forty thousand views from all around the world, and people have sent in lots of new photos for the site, so looks like the project has caught the public imagination.

The results of both studies will be announced at ‘Hauntings: The Science of Ghosts‘ on the 4th April. Very excited about the day. PA release about the project after the break.

Update: TV clip about it here.

Experts are inviting members of the public to send them spooky snapshots of alleged ghosts.

Hundreds of paranormal pictures are expected to be submitted online as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival.

They will be posted on a website and examined to see if any defy explanation.

Ghost-debunking psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman, who is heading the experiment, said: “About once a month I get sent a fairly good ghost photo where it’s not immediately obvious what’s going on.

“Often you might see what looks like a face in semi-darkness but its just a trick of the light. The human brain is hard-wired to see faces, for instance in clouds. That’s because faces are the most important thing we can see around us.

“I’m pretty sceptical, and usually there’s a rational explanation, but it could be that someone out there is sitting on something really interesting.”

A number of ghost pictures can already be seen on the site scienceofghosts.wordpress.com. One of the strangest appears to be the face of a little girl poking between the legs of a group of friends. It was taken at a house where there have been sightings of a ghostly child aged three or four.

“Believe it or not it’s just a very odd configuration of the light,” said Prof Wiseman. “These are always the hardest ones to explain.”

Another taken at a castle 22 years ago appears to show the transparent figure of a headless ghost in an army coat standing in front of two children playing on a cannon.

Prof Wiseman said: “The person who took it is absolutely convinced that it’s a photo of the headless ghost who walks around the castle walls. Maybe he’s angry with the kids playing around. This one might be a double exposure.”