Ghost Hunting and EMF Detectors

           

            Electromagnetic field detectors are commonly used by engineers to measure frequency strength but are also used by ghost hunters. EMF detectors detect electromagnetic fields which can be produced from many devices ranging from a smart phone to a wireless network router. EMF detectors determine the strength of electromagnetic fields and it is said that paranormal activity causes electromagnetic fields. Ghost hunters look for spikes in the readings on their EMF detectors and if they locate a spike they attempt to move closer to the source of the electromagnetic field by paying close attention to the strength reading on the EMF detector. A spike signifies a sudden change in electric current which causes many to believe a ghost is present as they supposedly possess a strong electric charge. Professor Johnjoe McFadden from the University of Surrey, proposes that “the conscious mind consists of an electromagnetic field which does not disappear even after death” which could explain why ghost hunters look for electromagnetic fields.  However, concrete evidence as to the correlation between electromagnetic fields and ghosts is not present. Just being around electromagnetic fields can cause humans to fantasize, for example, Michael Persinger, a neuroscientist from Laurentian University ran a test on a brain damaged girl which consisted of placing an electric clock a few inches away from her head and then removing it. When the clock was near her she experienced seeing ghosts in her sleep but when it was removed she no longer saw these ghosts. It is not possible for electromagnetic fields to be moved unless the source such as a computer monitor is moved and in many cases there are unexplained movements of electromagnetic fields. These can signify paranormal activity; however, there is no proof as to what causes these moving electromagnetic fields.

            EMF detectors detect electromagnetic fields but that doesn’t necessarily mean they detect ghosts. An inference commonly made is that ghosts contain an electromagnetic field but it has not been scientifically proven. One way testing could be done to see if EMF detectors actually work in ghost hunting is to find a difference between the electromagnetic field of common items such as a microwave or a computer monitor and a ghost, and then check if the EMF detectors can detect this difference. Data collection is not possible in this scenario because we currently have no valid way of obtaining ghosts to check if they possess an electrical charge, therefore the test would not be able to occur. However, if attempting to check if the detectors work, you should be aware of everything in the area being tested that can create electromagnetic fields. EMF detectors need to be calibrated every once in a while to ensure accurate results, you should also run at least three trials and you could find the mean of the strengths of electromagnetic fields detected in order to determine the typical strength of the electromagnetic field ghosts possibly produce. This can be difficult as if there are such things as paranormal beings, they definitely do not stay one place. The placebo effect can be eliminated by the tester testing multiple locations without having any background information about them; some locations which people say are haunted and some which are not known to contain paranormal activity should be tested. Possibly in the future, there might be a way to detect ghosts but with the current EMF detectors a sudden spike in electrical charge doesn’t necessarily mean a ghost is present, it can be a variety of undiscovered things. In conclusion, it is an inference that ghosts produce electromagnetic fields, and that ghost hunting through use of EMF detectors is pseudoscience.

Sources used

Meet the EMF meter, the little tool that ghost hunters swear by-

http://io9.com/5875212/meet-the-emf-meter-the-little-tool-that-ghost-hunters-swear-by

How do I use and EMF meter-

http://theghosthunterstore.com/tech-support/how-do-i-use-an-emf-meter/

Using an EMF(electromagnetic field) detector-

http://www.syfy.com/ghosthunters/howto/using_an_emf_electromagnetic_field_detector

EMF Detector-Singapore-

http://www.emfdetectoronline.com/

Are EMFs making you see ghosts?

http://io9.com/5071441/are-emfs-making-you-see-ghosts