Gear Up for Ghost Hunting

It was after hours at the Coventry Public Library (CPL) in Rhode Island. The building’s lights were off. It was pitch-black and eerie. The library should have been empty, but something was lurking inside: a group of teens, led by librarians Lauren Walker and Kylie Staigers. They were exploring the darkened rooms—armed with digital instruments from the library’s ghost-hunting kit. That’s when things got surprisingly spooky.

“Two strange things happened that night,” says Walker. First, the EMF meter kept going off near a supply closet. This device detects changes in electromagnetic fields (EMFs)—energy waves surrounding charged objects. EMFs can show up around wall sockets, during thunderstorms, and in many other places. At first, the group thought the meter was being triggered by video games stored in the closet. But no other electronics in the library set the meter off. The second strange occurrence had to do with the library’s automatic doors, which were closed and locked. “There was no one around,” says Walker. Then, all of a sudden, the doors started quickly opening and shutting! “It was so bizarre and got us all riled up.”

It was after hours at the Coventry Public Library (CPL) in Rhode Island. The building’s lights were off. It was pitch-black and eerie. The library should have been empty, but a group of teens lurked inside. Librarians Lauren Walker and Kylie Staigers led the group. They were exploring the darkened rooms with digital instruments from the library’s ghost-hunting kit. Then things got surprisingly spooky.

“Two strange things happened that night,” says Walker. First, the EMF meter kept going off near a supply closet. This device detects changes in electromagnetic fields (EMFs), or energy waves around charged objects. EMFs can appear around wall sockets, during thunderstorms, and in many other places. Video games were stored in the closet. At first, the group thought the games were triggering the meter. But no other electronics in the library set it off. The second strange occurrence involved the library’s automatic doors. They were closed and locked. “There was no one around,” says Walker. Suddenly, the doors started quickly opening and shutting! “It was so bizarre and got us all riled up.”

Over the past few years, libraries like CPL have been adding kits filled with ghost-hunting gear to their collections. Patrons can check out the kits to conduct their own investigations into paranormal activity—events that seem impossible to explain with current scientific understanding. Maybe they’ve heard odd noises, seen objects moving on their own, or spotted a ghostly figure lurking in their home. 

The Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library in North Dakota has been loaning out ghost-hunting kits since last fall. “Within the first 24 hours, all four kits were checked out!” says library director Christine Kujawa. “We anticipated that interest would fade after Halloween, but they continue to be popular.”

About 40 percent of Americans believe in ghosts, based on recent polls. But nearly all scientists agree that there’s no evidence proving their existence. Even so, TV shows, web series, and podcasts about ghost hunting are extremely popular. If you’re looking to conduct your own paranormal investigation, the best way to do it is by thinking like a scientist. 

Over the past few years, CPL and other libraries have added ghost-hunting kits to their collections. People can check them out and use the gear to investigate paranormal activity. These are events that seem impossible to explain with current scientific understanding. Maybe they heard odd noises or saw objects move on their own. Or they spotted a ghostly figure in their home. 

The Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library in North Dakota began loaning out ghost-hunting kits last fall. “Within the first 24 hours, all four kits were checked out!” says library director Christine Kujawa. “We anticipated that interest would fade after Halloween, but they continue to be popular.”

About 40 percent of Americans believe in ghosts, based on recent polls. But nearly all scientists agree that no evidence proves their existence. Still, TV shows, web series, and podcasts about ghost hunting are extremely popular. Do you want to conduct your own paranormal investigation? The best way to do it is to think like a scientist. 

Library ghost-hunting kits are filled with equipment designed to help collect information about supposedly haunted locations (see “What’s in a Kit?”). These tools don’t detect spirits directly—they’re designed to measure changes ghosts might cause to the surrounding environment. Inside each kit, “you’re probably going to have a device that can record video, one that can record audio, and an EMF meter,” says Noah Leigh, a public health scientist from Wisconsin. He’s also the lead investigator for Paranormal Investigators of Milwaukee, a group that explores reports of supernatural activity in businesses and homes across the state.

An EMF meter measures electromagnetic waves (see “Energy Waves”). Other popular tools for making observations and gathering environmental data about paranormal activity include thermometers, thermal imaging cameras (to record heat energy), and digital audio recorders called electronic voice phenomena (EVP) readers. Some libraries also include notepads and voice recorders for taking notes. “It’s a great way to teach the scientific concept of gathering data and assessing evidence,” says Richelle Klug, a librarian at Sewickley Public Library in Pennsylvania. 

The equipment in library ghost-hunting kits is designed to help collect information about supposedly haunted locations (see “What’s in a Kit?”). These tools don’t detect spirits directly. They measure changes to the surrounding environment. The idea is that ghosts might cause these changes. Inside each kit, “you’re probably going to have a device that can record video, one that can record audio, and an EMF meter,” says Noah Leigh. He’s a public health scientist from Wisconsin. He’s also the lead investigator for Paranormal Investigators of Milwaukee. This group explores reports of supernatural activity in businesses and homes across the state.

An EMF meter measures electromagnetic waves (see “Energy Waves”). Other tools also help make observations and gather environmental data about paranormal activity. Thermometers and thermal imaging cameras (to record heat energy) are popular tools. So are digital audio recorders called electronic voice phenomena (EVP) readers. Some libraries also include notepads and voice recorders for taking notes. “It’s a great way to teach the scientific concept of gathering data and assessing evidence,” says Richelle Klug. She’s a librarian at Sewickley Public Library in Pennsylvania. 

Ghost-hunting devices all detect real phenomena—energy waves, temperature changes, and sound—but then people must interpret that information. Does a room suddenly getting colder mean a ghost is nearby, or did the air conditioner kick on? Did an EVP device pick up a voice saying “hello,” or was it just the sound of the wind blowing?

According to scientists, most paranormal occurrences are psychological—they have a mental instead of a physical cause. For example, our brains are wired to recognize patterns, especially ones that look like human faces and figures. That leads us to see things in shadows, pictures, or videos that don’t actually exist. Basically, the most powerful force at work when it comes to ghost hunting is probably your own imagination.

Ghost-hunting devices all detect real phenomena. They pick up energy waves, temperature changes, and sound. But then people must interpret that information. A room suddenly gets colder. Does that mean a ghost is nearby? Or did the air conditioner kick on? Did an EVP device pick up a voice saying “hello”? Or was it just the wind?

Scientists say that most paranormal occurrences are psychological. They have a mental instead of a physical cause. For example, our brains are wired to recognize patterns. We especially notice ones that look like human faces and figures. That leads us to see things in shadows, pictures, or videos. But these things don’t actually exist. With ghost hunting, the most powerful force at work is probably your own imagination.

Suggestibility—people’s tendency to be influenced by other’s suggestions—is a big factor too, says Christopher French, a psychologist from the University of London in England. “If you tell people that an area is haunted, they are much more likely to report anomalous experiences,” he says. “If somebody says, ‘Oh, this bedroom is supposed to be haunted,’ it completely changes your mental state once you go in.”

Another major psychological factor is confirmation bias. “We tend to pay more attention to evidence that supports what we already believe,” says French. “You’re more likely to have a ghostly encounter if you already believe in ghosts.” That’s why it’s important to understand how your biases can influence your perception of reality, says French.

People tend to be influenced by others’ suggestions. This is known as suggestibility. It’s a big factor too, says Christopher French, a psychologist from the University of London in England. “If you tell people that an area is haunted, they are much more likely to report anomalous experiences,” he says. “If somebody says, ‘Oh, this bedroom is supposed to be haunted,’ it completely changes your mental state once you go in.”

Another major psychological factor is confirmation bias. “We tend to pay more attention to evidence that supports what we already believe,” says French. “You’re more likely to have a ghostly encounter if you already believe in ghosts.” Your views can influence your perception of reality. So it’s important to understand their effect, says French.

So what’s the best way to conduct a ghost hunt? By thinking critically and following the scientific process. It involves asking a question, forming a hypothesis, doing experiments and making careful observations to test that educated prediction, and, finally, drawing conclusions based on evidence. 

It’s important to document everything, says Leigh, the paranormal investigator from Wisconsin. “In science, if you didn’t write it down, it didn’t happen,” he says. Leigh wants to make sure his team doesn’t arrive at any conclusions that aren’t supported by clear data. So far, all of their investigations have found normal explanations for any supposedly “paranormal” readings, he says. Creaky old houses make strange noises. Water pipes create cold spots on the floor. Dust particles look like ghostly orbs on digital cameras.

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it’s important to ask questions and investigate the mysterious—and sometimes scary—parts of our world. That’s what libraries are hoping to encourage. “Ghost hunting promotes curiosity,” says Klug, the librarian from Pennsylvania. “And that’s something that we absolutely love.”

So what’s the best way to conduct a ghost hunt? Think critically and follow the scientific process. First, ask a question. Then form a hypothesis. Do experiments and make careful observations to test that educated prediction. Finally, draw conclusions based on evidence. 

You need to document everything, says Leigh, the paranormal investigator from Wisconsin. “In science, if you didn’t write it down, it didn’t happen,” he says. Leigh is careful about his team’s conclusions. They must be  supported by clear data. So far, they’ve always found normal explanations for any supposedly “paranormal” readings, he says. Creaky old houses make strange noises. Water pipes create cold spots on the floor. Dust particles look like ghostly orbs on digital cameras.

Whether or not you believe in ghosts, it’s important to ask questions. We need to investigate the mysterious, even scary, parts of our world. Libraries hope to encourage this. “Ghost hunting promotes curiosity,” says Klug, the librarian from Pennsylvania.  “And that’s something that we absolutely love.”