The Paranormal: Fact, Fiction or “Just Physics”

Haunted house by Monica

While we can exclude isolated incidents of people experiencing sleep paralysis, visions, or hallucinations as simply a symptom from the exposure to environmental toxins, infections, mental illness, or head trauma, what about paranormal experiences shared by more than one person? should it be dismissed as collective psychosis, or is there something deeper? What about reported psychokinesis sightings involving psychic interaction with the physical world?

What is psychokinesis? It is the ability to influence objects, time, energy, and space without the use of physical forces, but rather with your mind. One plausible theory behind psychokinesis that’s worth exploring is quantum entanglement to eliminate classical laws of communication. But the main roadblock to this theory is the plethora of scientific facts which are violated in the process. Psychokinesis directly violates the principle of conservation of momentum as no opposing motion is produced to balance the momentum in the system. It also violates the inverse square law as well as the 2^nd law of thermodynamics as the force exerted on the object using one’s mind does not diminish with distance nor increase the entropy of the system with time.

The existence of ghosts, if they were real, by default must have a channel connecting realm of metaphysical to the realm of the physical world where we exist. “Ghost hunters” believe such contact leave residues in special hotspots which can be detected using devices based on concrete physics principles. Ghost hunting technologies such as EMF meters are often based on detecting electromagnetic variations in the surroundings. Devices like Spirit boxes are also used to scan unexplained radio frequencies detected and explains them to be a means of communication from the ghost. Such phenomena recorded in real time still does not prove their existence, since several studies, including the “God Helmet experiment” by Dr. Michael Persinger in the 1980s, have also shown that strong contact with EMF forces can also affect the temporal lobe in the brain to see illusions or sounds temporarily. The sounds perceived may simply be generated by low-frequency infrasound, below the lower limit of human audibility which exist all around us.

Looking through a scientific lens, paranormal activities are often written off as absurd or superstitious, but where’s the fun in being a scientist if we are not curious? The existence of ghosts is inherently contradictory. As Efthimiou, a professor at the University of Central Florida, very effortlessly points out; “According to Newton’s 3^rd law of motion, a ghost cant glide through walls at the same time while simultaneously apply force to the ground as they walk, suggesting that they are indeed made of matter making them susceptible to newtons law”. So, are they Matter or Matterless?

Although, the general public may feign ignorance over the inconsistencies prevalent behind such horror stories, scientists also acknowledge that fear of such anomalies may have a role in the ever-growing faith in pseudoscience and anti-scientific conspiracy theories. Debunking such personal and traumatic experiences using science must be delt with empathy , welcoming a two-way communication with the public rather than ‘dumbing it down’ or ‘ bombarding them with complex factual data’ which does more harm than good. Such Elitist behaviour does absolutely nothing but alienate the general public by indirectly mocking them as “scientifically illiterate”.

I hate to be a killjoy by ruining the thrill of witnessing such paranormal events for some of the readers, but it certainly is a huge relief for me to know its just boring physics behind that big slender shadow I saw outside my window that one time…. Or was there?

References

1. Chris Holt. “Is anybody there – science and the supernatural”. Physics World (2020).
2. Samuel Spencer. “The science behind seeing ghosts”. BBC (2023).
3. Martin Durrani. “Physicists probe the paranormal”. Physics World (2000).
4. Gilovich, Thomas. “How We Know What Isn’t So (1st ed.)”. New York: Free Press. pp. 160, 169, 174–175.(1993).
5. Helmut Schmidt. “The Strange Properties of Psychokinesis”. Journal of Scientific Exploration, Vol. 1 No. 2, (1987).
6. “A Study of Low Frequency Noise and Infrasound from Wind Turbines“(PDF). cpuc.ca.gov. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
7. Mathew Rozsa. “A brief examination of the science behind ghost hunting”. Salon 2021.