Scientists recreate ghosts

[Mac E]

Are ghosts all in the mind? Scientists recreate strange phenomenon in the lab

• Swiss researchers carried out an experiment to make artificial 'ghosts'
  
• The sensation was re-created by researchers using a robot to interfere with the sensory signals in the brains of blindfolded volunteers
  

Neuroscientists have succeeded in creating 'ghosts' in the laboratory by tricking the brains of test subjects into feeling an unexpected 'presence' in the room. The spooky experiment which conjured up a ghostly illusion in the laboratory has proved once and for all that it's only our mind playing tricks. The invisible, creepy presence reported by so many people over the centuries is just a set of mixed-up signals in the brain, the researchers say.

Read more

Edited April 29, 2015 by Mac E

[bubblykiss]

Did these scientists confirm that the robot was not in fact haunted prior to using it simulate hauntings?

alt:

To be fair I get creeped out when blindfolded 'n surrounded by scientists.

alt:

Just like science to go after defenseless ghosts.

alt:

damn it drunk dude wondered in distorting my flow of humor......now to humor him......

[Eldorado]

Scientists can make you see what they want you to see?

[Taun]

I don't doubt that a lot of ghostly experiences are actually from mundane causes... But in this case, they used robots... so there WAS something in the room...

Somehow I tend to doubt the validity of this experiment...

Wow... three posts in less than a minute!...

Edited April 29, 2015 by Taun

[She-ra]

This is good:

Blanke says the main aim of the study is to better understand some of the symptoms of neurological or psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia.

[Lumpino]

Opinions are varied. Who understand German, I recomend a book by an Austrian experimenter.

Experimental- Dämonologie, by Josef Dürr.

[Mantis914]

Scientists can make you see what they want you to see?

I thought that was the media's job... don't let them hear about this!

[LostSouls7]

Oh well yes tricks on the brain. What about last night when we all saw something moving on it's own in the room.

Everyone saw and heard it. We can't all have a messed up mind.

Somethings are not explained. Science can't explain magic or powers or abilities either.

[Magnanimus]

This sort of "ghost in the machine" experiment has been done a number of times (the God Helmet for example), and it definitely has value in understanding the way we experience non-traditional stimuli, but always leaves blindspots.

For one, ghosts live in the domain or religion and folklore and while any number of sciences can approach certain aspects of their mythology, there really isn't an answer to everything.

Second, this experiment really doesn't have anything to do with ghosts. Really, they buried the lead on the potential significance of the findings. They found that if you focus a participant's senses of touch by depriving sight and sound, you can override or rewrite how the body uses additional senses, like proprioception--the sense of where your limbs are and the way your body's arranged. A pretty fancy result from "blindfold people and set them up in front of a back-scratching robot and let them work the joystick."

Yeah, if the machine lags, you notice and your brain no longer pairs the resultant stimulus with your action, but I'm still unclear on how that relates to any haunting phenomena in anyone who doesn't have an outstanding neurological condition. By focusing on making it spooky, they undersold the value of this experiment. It seems to indicate that humans are able to identify and recognize their control beyond the limits of our physical bodies, meaning our brain can basically run after-market hardware. This could be huge, especially as it is applied to the development of prostheses and, further down the road, even fine motor control of enhancing bionics, like exo-suits.

So, yeah, great job, scientists. Try a new way to condescendingly prove there's no such thing as ghost with another flawed experiment. All the while, just ignore the fact that your findings BROUGHT US THAT MUCH CLOSER TO A GODDAMN IRON MAN SUIT.