Is MOLD the cause you are experiencing paranormal activity?

Professor Shane Rogers of Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York is apparently working on a study to identify if certain household mold is the cause we are experiencing ghostly activity in our homes. Now I do have to add, we mostly hear of old houses being haunted as opposed to new ones. I've seldom hear of new homes being haunted.

Although allergy and asthma symptoms and other physiological effects are well established, there has long been controversy over the effects of indoor mould exposure on cognitive and other functioning of the brain.
‘Reports of psychiatric symptoms including mood swings, hyperactivity, and irrational anger, as well as cognitive impairment are prevalent among those exposed to moulds.

Maybe that can explain why we all of a sudden get that feeling that something is right behind us..

Professor Rogers is currently leading a team of researchers measuring air quality in several reportedly haunted places around New York State. The group will compare samples taken from several buildings where ghost sightings have been reported with samples taken from properties with no paranormal activity, to see if there is a difference in the types of fungi.Professor Rogers said: ‘I have long been a fan of ghost stories and shows related to investigation of haunted places and have to admit to some strange occurrences in my own past. ‘Many of the places under investigation and from my own experiences may be prime environments for mould and other indoor air quality issues. ‘We would like to see if we can parse out some commonality between the mould microbiome in places that are haunted relative to those that are not.’

I've had my share of strange occurances happen in houses that have been old. I'm curious to see what the outcome is.

Are fungi to blame for things that go bump in the night?

www.dailymail.co.uk...

interesting idea. I once heard of women being accused of being witches because the people in a small town were suffering from hallucinations. In the end it turned out to be caused by moldy bread.

a reply to: blackmetalmist

That is very interesting indeed. I've had many experiences in my home we rent. It was built in 1984.
I will say though, that I have had experiences in my dads new home. He just had it built in dec 2013. My lil sis who lives there has had some experiences as well. I'm responding cause I am hoping to read others comments as well. Thanks for sharing this info.
Much peace to you

a reply to: natalia

I think the mold explanation might be quite reasonable to explaining certain things but that still won't explain certain things such as knocks, photographs of orbs, etc. Now it very well could be a house settling down AND camera dust.. so you can't rule those things either. Depends of the type of evidence gathered and whether you can debunk it.

I think the result should answer some of our questions BUT not entirely. Especially such as your dad's new home. What have they experienced?

a reply to: blackmetalmist

I've just always believed the veil to other realms or spaces in time is thinner that we think. And some people experience these things cause they are real. I've always had experiences my whole life with things I couldn't explain. Then I got older and I researched and realized I was seeing through the veil at times or hearing through the veil.
It's just my sis who has seen the shadow people. She hears things too. And that very well could be the house settling. I just know my moms side of family has some special people. As in empaths, I'm one, and psychic type people.
And see I have a 9 yr old son and he's experienced things at this house we rent. We have even experienced the same thing at the same time. Which was we both heard someone talking but we couldn't understand what they said.

a reply to: blackmetalmist

That is a very intriguing idea. The flip side is the older houses have a lot more history, many times multiple prior owners. More things could have occurred there.

If mold was the cause I think we would have many more people experiencing paranormal activity because there are many older homes with mold (and people do not experience the supernatural). But I am just speculating. A study would have to be done.

"According to Farmers Insurance there has been a 1,100 increase in mold related claims over the past decade. I believe more folks are realizing the harm mold can do. Many times allergies in general were related but more studies show that these symptoms only happen in the home. www.farmers.com"

"According to CNN Money over 30% of brand new homes built have mold of some form in them. The construction precautions taken to alleviate these issues is not as stringent with track built type homes where there is an assembly line type of project. One home can sit for days or weeks soaking up moisture before the next crew comes in for their part of the project. www.money.cnn.com"

So it appears even new homes have mold as well.

A study would have to be done to see the correlation, and how many houses have mold where no paranormal activity occurs.

Thank you BlackMetalMist for the good article. It is a nice concept to try to scientifically explain away the bumps in the night but for now I will still keep believing

It is my own theory merely based on observation over time that if people look hard enough, they will find that many haunted homes have streams running underground. Oftentimes they are near a known visible steam of water that IMO may have a diversionary flow or an almost stagnant underground pool of water.

a reply to: aboutface

Interesting theory. Do you think that applies to city dwellings too? Would sewer water count ?

a reply to: blackmetalmist

I live just north of a river that flows west to east. To the north of me, the land rises at a slow steady incline. Regardless of city pipe infrastructure, there is nevertheless an underground stream about fifteen to twenty feet below ground that somehow flows down to the river, or alongside it. Like an underground flood plain is the way I think of it. Perhaps a water table? I hope this doesn't distract from the discussion. I just said what I did because fungus thrives in dark damp places, but beyond that I know little about it.

Some of the chemistry of fungi and molds can cause psychotropic effects. I have to agree with the author of the article about the possibility some of the time. But do the mold chemicals actually make us more receptive to these things or do they make us imagine them. It could go either way.

We can read information off of crystals, I am pretty much convinced that it is true myself. Almost all things have crystal structure in them. Now, you would need to excite an area of the brain to decipher that information somehow for us to be able to do it. This section of the brain is not in our consciousness, it would be in the subconscious which is a lot more powerful usually than our consciousness.

But then again, you should remember, I do not consider myself normal so maybe you shouldn't either.

What I don't get...

We have a slew of TV shows called "Ghost Hunters" or whatever that supposedly gather "evidence".

How much evidence needs to be collected before it's just common knowledge that ghosts exist?

a reply to: MystikMushroom

As much as I am a believer in hauntings (having lived through a lot of stuff since I was 6 years old), I do have to question the authenticity of some of the shows. I just saw a preview of a show called "Ghost Asylum" and to be honest, it was them just bumping into each other and screaming half the time. I personally believe that science can sometimes explain a fraction on hauntings. Like I mentioned earlier, you gotta start debunking things by slowly ruling out possibilities.

I also think that at the end of the day, our common goal is not whether ghost exists, but rather where and why they exist.

These much needed scientific studies are bringing us one step closer to this goal.

Nope.

Delirium, fever, fungus based psychoactive pathogens causes for "paranormal" experiences? Not in every case... nor, likely, in most.

Nice try on the part of the researcher, though, as it would help explain the tendency for the odd stuff to be (usually) tied to a location... at least some folks are looking for answers.

I think we'll explain it... it'll just involve a paradigm shift having to do with dimensions, consciousness... and stuff.

more eta: and the "ghost shows" are likely mostly entertainment , rather than science, of course... and emphasize the real crazy, scary stuff... but a couple at least seem to try to be forthright...

Bottom line is this stuff happens... it really does... and it is relatively rare for most, but a surprising portion of the population has experienced it and most people have a decent grasp of what might've been normal but odd, and totally unexplainable with our common paradigm.

this would kind of ignore the ghost experiences that people have everywhere else asides from homes. outdoors, in fields, hospitals etc

plus saying that the hundreds, thousands of experiences are ALL because of mold? that doesn't even remotely begin to cover the entire spectrum of experiences people have with non-physical entities.

i think we just need to except that there are two forms of existence. physical and non-physical.

a reply to: blackmetalmist

Well, there are groups of people that legitimately go out and research this kind of thing. How much "evidence" is needed before the scientific community comes forward and says, "We don't know what ghosts are, but the phenomena is real"?

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Honestly, I think that when we actually have one appear right in front of a large group of people and it is caught on camera and we communicate with it (and only then by a legitimate source), there will be those who will still deny it and claim it's a hoax. And it's sad to say but it's true. It's a no win situation really.

Kinda like Bigfoot, he may be out there but until someone has definite proof (maybe captured in a cage), it's all a myth.

If this were true, my beer fridge out the back would hold a great storyline for Ghostbusters 4, who ya gunna call, mould busters!

a reply to: blackmetalmist


Is molds the cause? Possibly yes.

Does this mean we are just imagining things, unfortunately, the answer is NO.


I did say unfortunate because lack of sanitation opens up a gateway for malevolent spirits to manifest and real paranormal/supernatural occurrences.

Minimalist/lively interior design and architecture, light colors and utmost hygiene if you want to keep paranormal occurrences to a minimum. Likewise, avoid displaying sculptures of people, animals, including stuffed animals even plants and trees. Avoid intricately-designed furniture (and this includes lingerie and nighties)

Avoid rot and decay (sewers, grave, septic tanks).

It's a sad fact these conditions are quite common in impoverished places as if these people had enough of poverty already only to be oppressed by malevolent spirits further.

originally posted by: blackmetalmist
a reply to: natalia

I think the mold explanation might be quite reasonable to explaining certain things but that still won't explain certain things such as knocks, photographs of orbs, etc. Now it very well could be a house settling down AND camera dust.. so you can't rule those things either. Depends of the type of evidence gathered and whether you can debunk it.

I think the result should answer some of our questions BUT not entirely. Especially such as your dad's new home. What have they experienced?

Yes indeed. Whats foul here is bringing this story, research, whatever.... into the fray not as an explanation for some things.....maybe....but some dumbass profound and as yet unknown cause for most of it. Thats the wide open presentation. Only folks on the periphery and critics will sop this up.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
What I don't get...

We have a slew of TV shows called "Ghost Hunters" or whatever that supposedly gather "evidence".

How much evidence needs to be collected before it's just common knowledge that ghosts exist?

Myself and some guys at work got on the topic. It was surprising that everyone there had a good story about having contact at one time or another with paranormal persons, sprits, ghosts, demons what have you. Guys that wouldn't normally talk about it let their guard down in an group setting.

One guy said he saw his grandmother in sprit form twice. He claimed it messed him up he has never been the same.