Why people see ghosts, explained
Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever seen one? If you answered "yes" to both questions, you are not alone. In fact, a number of surveys found that the majority of people who took part believe in ghosts, with a high percentage claiming that they have seen them.
The belief in the supernatural is an old one. For millennia, humankind has used it as a source of meaning, and continues to do so to this day. But while many people claim to have had paranormal experiences, science also has a word to say about this.
Click through the gallery to find out why people see ghosts, according to science.
Paranormal beliefs
A study found that about three in four Americans have at least one paranormal belief.
Power of suggestion
Some people believe they see ghosts because they’re expecting to see ghosts. If they’re told that they’re in a haunted house, they’re much more susceptible to a paranormal experience.
Half of these people were led to believe that something otherworldly might happen, so the group that was told they were in a haunted theater experienced it.
The God Helmet
Originally called the "Koren Helmet," it's a device that sends magnetic signals to one's brain. Built to study religious and mystical experiences, it can apparently trigger paranormal experiences.
Supposedly, some people claimed to have had visions of God during the experiment, while others felt a presence, among other paranormal experiences.
Stress
A study concluded that stress can cause women to report paranormal experiences. Traumatic stress was linked to experiences such as possession and extra-sensory perception.
Infrasounds
These frequencies can actually trigger physical and emotional responses akin to paranormal experiences.
Coping mechanism
People who've lost loved ones have reported being visited by them. The ghostly visits could be a coping mechanism used by the grieving brain.
Maybe it’s just a draft
Changes in humidity levels, a drafty window, or a chimney might be responsible for the cold sensation at a specific spot.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
In the 1920s, the Journal of Ophthalmology documented a case study about a couple who reported paranormal experiences at home.
It turns out that they were in fact having hallucinations, triggered by a CO leak in the furnace.
Exploding head syndrome
This likely happens because the part of your brain responsible for shutting down your body to put you into a sleep state gets a bit confused, and does the opposite instead, putting you in a state of alert.
Sleep paralysis
Paranormal experiences are common during sleep paralysis. This phenomenon occurs when you’re in a dream state, but you're half-awake and unable to move. This is usually a confusing and sometimes terrifying experience.
Orbs
Those little balls of light that so many people claim to be spirits, can actually be explained by science.
