Why we love to hunt for proof of the supernatural

In 1874, renowned chemist Sir William Crookes sat in a darkened room, eyes fixed on a curtain over an alcove.

- writes Alice Vernon, lecturer in creative writing and 19th-Century literature at Aberystwyth University.

Ghost hunting is about us more than the spirits.

The curtain twitched, and out came a glowing ghost of a young woman, dressed in a white shroud. He was entranced, writes Alice Vernon, lecturer in creative writing and 19th-Century literature at Aberystwyth University.

But the ghost was fake, and his involvement in séances nearly ruined his career. The lesson wasn't learned, however, and Crookes, like thousands after him, continued to search for evidence of spirits.

The popularity of the Victorian séance, and its associated pseudo-religion Spiritualism, spread rapidly across the world. From small parlours hushed with the hopes of the recently bereaved, to grand concert halls, audiences were eager for a spooky spectacle.

Ghost-hunting remains an immensely popular cultural interest. Platforms such as YouTube and TikTok are now awash with amateur investigators trudging through abandoned buildings and well-known haunted houses in order to capture evidence.