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Real or just hocus-pocus?
Ghosts belong to the realm of fantasy. For real? Or are there ghosts? What is behind the phenomena? We take a closer look ...
An enigmatic light that attracts hikers deeper and deeper into the forest. Wafts of mist that transform into human shapes ...
This is the beginning of ghost stories in which the shivers run down our spines. And not only children get goose bumps. According to surveys , every second German is certain that there is more between heaven and earth than we can imagine. And one in ten (in women every fifth) believes in ghosts. No wonder that Germany's renowned spook researcher Dr. Dr. Every year, 3, 000 people report to Walter Lucadou in his parapsychological counseling center in Freiburg because they see deaths or hear voices from the teapot. But are there really spirits ?
The research can not completely rule out the existence of the supernatural, but made fascinating discoveries. Like this: From a psychological point of view, spirits are only fantasies, ie hallucinations. Especially when falling asleep, but also during stress, the brain plays tricks on us. Then it is enough to stare at a wallpaper pattern for a long time. Suddenly we recognize a face in it - the "haunting" is born and we suddenly ask ourselves doubtfully: Are there any ghosts ? Another possible trigger is extremely low tones (infrasound). Although we can not hear them, they are strong enough to make objects vibrate - even our eyeballs. In addition, nervousness, shortness of breath, panic and hallucinations, so everything that it needs for a haunting.
Also for the so far over 100 known photos of ghost sightings researchers found an explanation: It concerns double or wrong exposures of the film material or falsifications. Only very few survive a scientific examination, such as the "brown lady" of Raynham Hall (England): The ghost photo was taken in 1936. The dumbfounded photographer, who had disappeared centuries ago, appeared on the doorstep.
But it is also a number smaller. Everyone has already experienced it: one thinks of the best friend, there the telephone rings, and it is her turn. Telepathy? In fact, studies at Princeton University (USA) show that some people have inexplicable skills and can guess what's going on. Also, that between parents and children is a magic band, researchers can not rule out. This is how a mother feels instantly when a child does not tell the truth.
On the other hand, skills such as telekinesis (moving objects through thought power) may be dismissed as a clear hocus-pocus : More than 380 studies prove that such forces do not exist. This also suggests the challenge of James Randi: The US millionaire praised in 1986 the price of one million dollars for the first evidence of a supernatural phenomenon. The money is still in his safe today.
One thing is for sure: We love the slight horror of the unknown. The short shudder when cracking in the dark bedroom at night. Huuu ...
Author: C. Mayer / M. Nyary
