Category Archives: Paranormal Culture

Supernatural in Society conference: Bader on Bigfooters

By | October 4, 2018
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There is a lot of new research happening in academia about paranormal culture and belief. I kid you not. Scholars in sociology, psychology, religious studies, and media studies are noticing that millions of people are deeply affected by paranormal beliefs and personal experiences. There is so much happening, especially regarding ghostly episodes, that it’s difficult… Read More: Supernatural in Society conference: Bader on Bigfooters »

The Doubtful Witness: You don’t really know what you saw

By | September 14, 2018
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How often have you heard someone say “I know what I saw”. Observations and remembrances of events are deeply flawed but we still rely on our memory to give us a true account and we believe reports of eyewitnesses. These accounts are the primary evidence put forward in support of paranormal reality. Those who believe… Read More: The Doubtful Witness: You don’t really know what you saw »

The Doubtful Witness: Masefield’s Montrose ghost story

By | September 14, 2018
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The primary evidence put forward in support of paranormal reality are accounts of witnesses. Those who believe in the reality of UFOs, Bigfoot, or ghosts are heavily influenced by seemingly legitimate and truthful tellings of strange events people say happened to them. They also contend that there are so many accounts that “there must be… Read More: The Doubtful Witness: Masefield’s Montrose ghost story »

Can you make a good paranormal-themed TV show?

By | September 7, 2018
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A recent discussion with a person who pitches ideas for TV shows got me thinking about what a solid, informative, program about the paranormal would look like. The bottom line… it would be really difficult and producers are likely not willing to take a risk on it. The slew of paranormal-themed “reality” television shows is… Read More: Can you make a good paranormal-themed TV show? »

UFO reports declining: Several social factors involved

By | July 2, 2018
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An article in Gizmodo today focused on the question of why UFO sightings (reported to NUFORC and MUFON – the major U.S. organizations who record these claims) are in decline since 2012 – a 30 to 40 percent drop from 2012 to 2017. When Jennings Brown, the journalist, contacted me Friday to talk about it,… Read More: UFO reports declining: Several social factors involved »

Let this one be a Devil’s biography (Book Review)

By | May 23, 2018
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“The Secret History of the Jersey Devil: How Quakers, Hucksters, and Benjamin Franklin Created a Monster” by Brian Regal and Frank J. Esposito, dispels myths about the ‘Jersey Devil’. Rooting the legend in 17th-century quarrels, politics and media-driven hoaxes, they argue that the monster is a misinterpretation of stories from the Leeds family, rather than a supernatural creature.

A rarity: An impressive and useful ghost guide (Book Review)

By | March 4, 2018
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Steve Parsons criticizes amateur ghost investigators for sensationalizing paranormal inquiries without adhering to scientific guidelines in his book, ‘Ghostology: The Art of the Ghost Hunter’. He argues that investigations get lost amid personal ambitions, useless data, and lack of awareness about the subject’s history. Parsons calls for practical and ethical standards for paranormal investigations and recommends his book as a guide to help investigators avoid common mistakes and misleading conclusions.

Ghosts as modern history (Book review)

By | February 20, 2018
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Lisa Morton presents another version of the history of ghosts in Ghosts: A Haunted History (Reaktion Books, London, 2015). In this case, it is an international popular history of ghosts in philosophy, literature, movies, television and pop culture. It is general and short, but good. The glossy pages are full of illustrations. The theme of this, and other… Read More: Ghosts as modern history (Book review) »

Sometimes, an alien artifact is just a rock

By | January 3, 2018
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Paranormal investigators often lament the lack of scientific interest in anomalous or paranormal claims. Many have stated they want to contribute to a shift in thinking about these anomalies, to “prove to science” (or scientists) that “the paranormal” exists. Some want to “change the science”. None of this makes any sense, though, since science is… Read More: Sometimes, an alien artifact is just a rock »

Confessions about Confessions of Ghost Hunters

By | July 22, 2017
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There are three books that are explicitly titled “Confessions of a Ghost Hunter” – from 1928, 1936 and 2002. There is also one called “Confessions of a Reluctant Ghost Hunter” by Von Braschler (2014) that I confess I didn’t read. A defunct Facebook page and website also of the same name appears to be related. Several… Read More: Confessions about Confessions of Ghost Hunters »

The manufactured, badly-behaved Ouija demon: Zozo (Book Review)

By | July 2, 2017
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In the classic book Psychology of Superstition, Gustav Jahoda writes that beliefs are not just in our heads, they affect our behavior, and that self-fulfilling prophecy is not uncommon in human affairs (p. 8). Many events seem trivial and unspectacular, but when placed into a paranormal context, they take on a new and enhanced meaning.… Read More: The manufactured, badly-behaved Ouija demon: Zozo (Book Review) »

Arrogant and confused, ghost and ghoul (Book Review)

By | April 7, 2017
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I’m still doing research on the Stone Tape idea, as a paranormally-curious geologist does. I was interested in obtaining a book by T.C. Lethbridge because his name comes up repeatedly as a promoter of the concept. It’s been a tricky thing to trace the origin without having easy access to the literature in print. I’ll… Read More: Arrogant and confused, ghost and ghoul (Book Review) »

An inconsistent history of paranormal in America – Book Review

By | January 20, 2017
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Supernatural America: A Cultural History by L.R. Samuel (2011) Supernatural America is one of a few books that aim to take the reader on a tour of the country’s paranormal history to end up where we are today. I’ve not read many good ones. (Paranormal Nation by Fitch was possible the WORST. Steer clear of that… Read More: An inconsistent history of paranormal in America – Book Review »

Cryptid capers: The Iceman, Scooby Doo, and those meddling copyright holders

By | January 3, 2017
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Dr. Darren Naish has a new post out on the Minnesota Iceman. It’s adapted from his book Hunting Monsters which is soon to be out in hard copy (already in electronic format). Good news! However, the cryptozoological go-hards don’t generally like the scholarly-type books which often carry a more skeptical tone. They tend to go… Read More: Cryptid capers: The Iceman, Scooby Doo, and those meddling copyright… »