HOW TO BE A GHOST HUNTER

We delve into the science and psychology behind the paranormal to ask... do ghosts exist?

- WORDS SCOTT DUTFIELD

When there's something strange going on in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call? Probably the authorities, because the Ghostbusters aren't real, and neither are the goo-ridden ghouls they suck into their paranormal lockboxes. Nevertheless, hunting for ghosts is a centuries-old endeavour, the history of which is full of curious coincidences and unexplained oddities that will leave your hair standing on end. The genesis of ghost hunting can be traced back to the 19th century, when spiritualism gripped the Victorian era. Drawing rooms became seance hotspots, with mediums who claimed to be able to peer behind the veil between life and death and converse with lost spirits. One of the oldest paranormal investigation societies, known as the Ghost Club, was founded in London in 1862 and boasted several famous faces, including author Charles Dickens and poet William Butler Yeats.

A belief in the paranormal and an intrigue into ghostly goings-on have persisted throughout the ages. As recently as 2019, a YouGov poll found that 45 per cent of Americans believe that ghosts are real. Similarly, a 2022 YouGov poll revealed that 67 per cent of Americans believe that they have had at least one of 13 paranormal experiences listed in the poll, with 37 per cent of those surveyed saying that they've 'felt a presence or unknown energy'.