Can You Hear Me Now? (10/29/07)

From Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I: Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep. Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man, but will they come when you do call for them? Well, if you believe the proponents of EVP, the spirits will come. EVP, or Electronic Voice Phenomena, is one of the ways ghost hunters "prove" that the dead walk among us, even though we can't hear or see them. The technique is simple enough that anyone can do it. First, set up a recording device in a place where voices couldn't possibly be heard or where you suspect ghosts are lurking. Next, leave the recorder running or ask questions. Finally, listen to the (mostly unintelligible) recording. If you're lucky, you'll get such fascinating messages from the afterworld as "what's that" or "not me." If the dearly departed were making so much effort to send a signal from the Great Beyond, maybe they should be more interesting or informative. But, hey, who are we to criticize the dead? Regardless of whether EVPs are legit or not, even the skeptic in us has to admit they're pretty creepy. Suggested Sites... Ghostly Voices - do-it-yourself guide to recording gabby ghosts. Phone Calls From the Dead - talk about your long distance calls! (Don't let them reverse the charges!) Committee for Skeptical Enquiry: Electronic Voice Phenomena - not everyone is convinced. International Ghost Hunters Society - recording ghost voices for you since 1996. Listen to the archive. Wikipedia: Electronic Voice Phenomena - historical overview of EVP from Edison to digital.
Directory categories: Ghosts, Paranormal Phenomena, Electronic Voice Phenomena, Psychics, Spiritualism
Archived under: Communication, Death, Eavesdropping, Ghosts, Halloween, Hauntings, Paranormal, Technology, Weird Stuff