How Ghost Hunters Use Electromagnetic Fields

Around Halloween, all things spooky are on the minds of many. You're probably aware of the fact that many people believe ghosts are real. Maybe you've even had an encounter with a spirit. Some believers take the possibility of ghosts' existence very seriously and become or hire paranormal investigators. While different ghost hunters have their own approach to tracking down specters, many rely on electromagnetic fields to catch a glimpse of the ghouls.

Ghost hunters' most valuable tool
If paranormal investigators are going ghost hunting, they're unlikely to get far without an EMF meter. This device is used to help people identify electromagnetic fields. According to io9, the readings workers receive from their EMF meter can help them identify problems with power lines and electrical wiring.

Of course, ghosts tend not to feature electrical wiring. Still, paranormal investigators believe that spirits can be identified based on spikes in the EMF signals they're receiving, stated the news source.

Some believers suggest that what ghost hunters are picking up on their devices is what's left of a deceased individual's mind. This is what Johnjoe McFadden, Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Surrey, proposed. McFadden has proposed that the conscious mind generates an electromagnetic field, a speculative theory that has not been shown to persist after death. There is no scientific evidence that EMF meters detect anything of this kind, since the magnetic fields produced by the brain are far too weak to measure outside the body with ordinary instruments.

Find out for yourself
If you believe in the existence of ghosts, you're certainly not alone. According to The Huffington Post, 45 percent of Americans think that ghosts are real or that people's spirits can appear long after they're gone. In addition, 43 percent of respondents to a 2013 HuffPost/YouGov poll don't believe ghosts can harm or interact with the living.

Of course, if you have an interest in tracking down a few ghosts, you're going to need to measure the magnetic fields in the air. Before you go waving strong magnets, such as cube magnets and sphere magnets, around, know that you can easily buy your own EMF meter. EMF meters are widely sold online, and io9 noted that models range from very basic to more advanced.

Just be careful how you go about your ghost hunting. If spirits are real, you certainly don't want to make them angry, as they can make life very inconvenient for those who reside in the home they're haunting.

"Any reputable ghost hunter will not walk in their [home] and ask to be tossed around or have their hat knocked off," Susan Bove, one of the founders of South Jersey Paranormal Research, told the Courier-Post. "We call that provoking. A lot of it has to do with intentions."

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