Why “Paranormal Evidence” cannot usually be verified, and why most of it is faked.
We’ve recently discussed this in some episodes. I’d love to open a discord about why I personally feel we should consider most “proof” of the paranormal fake.
Verifying the authenticity of photos and videos of paranormal events is challenging due to several factors:
Technological Manipulation: With advances in photo and video editing software, it has become increasingly easy to manipulate media. Programs like Photoshop and After Effects allow users to create highly realistic but entirely fake images and videos. This makes it difficult for even experts to distinguish between genuine and altered content without thorough forensic analysis (National Science and Media Museum) (Smithsonian Magazine).
Psychological Factors: The power of suggestion and expectation can heavily influence what people believe they see. Studies have shown that individuals are more likely to report supernatural occurrences if they are primed to expect them. This can lead to a confirmation bias, where ambiguous or natural phenomena are misinterpreted as paranormal (Smithsonian Magazine).
Environmental Conditions: Various natural and environmental factors can create sensations or illusions that people might perceive as paranormal. For example, infrasound—sound waves below the range of human hearing—can cause feelings of anxiety and unease, and even visual hallucinations. Unusual electromagnetic fields can similarly affect perception, leading to sensations of a presence or unusual visual phenomena (Smithsonian Magazine).
Scientific Investigations: Historical attempts to scientifically investigate paranormal phenomena have often found natural explanations for what initially seemed supernatural. For instance, carbon monoxide poisoning has been identified as a cause of hallucinations and ghostly experiences in some well-documented cases. These investigations often reveal mundane causes behind seemingly mysterious events (Smithsonian Magazine).
Sleep Paralysis: Many reports of ghost sightings occur during sleep paralysis, a state where the body is temporarily unable to move while falling asleep or waking up. This condition can cause vivid and terrifying hallucinations, including the sensation of an evil presence in the room. This physiological explanation accounts for many experiences people attribute to the paranormal (Smithsonian Magazine).
These points illustrate why most accounts of paranormal events are likely to be misinterpretations, fakes, or natural phenomena rather than evidence of actual supernatural occurrences.
https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/science-investigating-paranormal
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/five-scientific-explanations-spooky-sensations-180973436/
Frank
