33 replies to this topic

[CakeOrDeath]

I am wondering why everyone conducts their investigations at night and almost always "lights out."

Before we start I will add the two most common reasons and explain why they are not valid.  Then please explain your reasons.

1 - This one comes directly from Ghost Hunters - "we turn the ligths off so we can get clearer EMF readings and avoid spikes."  This is 100% untrue, unless you cut the power from the breaker, those light switches are still receiving the same electrical power even though the switch is in the off position, the emf readings and spikes will still occur, ask ANY certified electrician.

2 - Spirits are far more active in the silent late night-early morning hours.  With just a small bit of study you will find that ghostly/paranormal encounters are historically reported at nearly the same percentage of  day vs night encounters.

Those are the only two reasons I know of. If you have any others to present with a brief explanation it would be greatly appreciated.

[the_twilightzone]

I've also heard that it's done to decrease the potential for shadows and/or light anomalies.

[CakeOrDeath]

Thanks for the reply, interesting, but remember in the "dark" there is still limited light and even darker, deeper shadows.

The "Greenie" night-vision they use, which is similar to old skool military "star-light" vision goggles, also produces odd anomolies(sp?), especially considering most investigators aren't using military-grade night vision goggles.  My brother-in-law flies C-17s and he regularly brings home his night vision gear for us to mess around with, it's literally, "night and day" compared to the vision quality you get with most digi-cams.

[ColoradoParanormal]

CakeOrDeath, on 18 May 2012 - 07:56 PM, said:

Thanks for the reply, interesting, but remember in the "dark" there is still limited light and even darker, deeper shadows.

The "Greenie" night-vision they use, which is similar to old skool military "star-light" vision goggles, also produces odd anomolies(sp?), especially considering most investigators aren't using military-grade night vision goggles.  My brother-in-law flies C-17s and he regularly brings home his night vision gear for us to mess around with, it's literally, "night and day" compared to the vision quality you get with most digi-cams.

Hey my friend! Good to see ya posting a decent topic! It's been a while since I've seen one worth commenting on here.   First off, you're absolutely correct about the EMF and "lights" out. In reality if a person want's to cut ALL chances of EMF data contamination the person conducting the research would, as you said, have to cut the master power to the building and/or area they are conducting their research.

Second, the reason the TV shows and media show all investigations, which has set the unfortunate precident for all the "investigators" across the world, is for the entertainment "spook" factor. There is absolutely no data that claims so-called paranormal activity increases at night. It all goes back to the primal and instinctual fear in humans for the absense of light. This was covered in a different topic recently. I posted a lengthy response about scientific research from prominate scientists and psychologists on fear and the instinctual fear humans have.

Summarily, the "darkness" is simpy for entertainment purposes in hopes to create a spook factor that seems to have worked better than any of these media moguls hoped, as now we have thousands of "paranormal investigators" running around catching things that go bump in the night lol.

[CakeOrDeath]

Hi Colorado,

I agree with everything in your reply, I guess I should have been more specific though, I was wondering why ameteur or non-tv show paranormal teams conduct most if not all of their actual investigations at night.  Are they just "copy catting" the TV shows? And if so what does that tell you about the field as a whole?

I have a respect for the way you conduct yourself and your research, so honest question, have you conducted day-time investigations?

[ColoradoParanormal]

CakeOrDeath, on 21 May 2012 - 03:56 AM, said:

Hi Colorado,

I agree with everything in your reply, I guess I should have been more specific though, I was wondering why ameteur or non-tv show paranormal teams conduct most if not all of their actual investigations at night.  Are they just "copy catting" the TV shows? And if so what does that tell you about the field as a whole?

I have a respect for the way you conduct yourself and your research, so honest question, have you conducted day-time investigations?

Yes, the unfortunate outcome of the standards that the Media mogul paranormal shows, is that all the amatuer teams out are simpy copy catting what they've been "taught" by Ghost Hunters, GHI and the like. As I said, it's unfortunate but, the truth.

For your question about me and my team. Yes, every investigation we conducted while we were doing field research was done daytime and night time. A sub-experiment we were conducting was to see if there was any validity and/or connection to "paranormal" events occurring during the night or day. There was literally no difference. As I said, it was simply a sub-experiment but, during field research, we had literally a reason and experiment behind every task we performed. Hope that answers your questions!

[CakeOrDeath]

Thanks, it confirmed my suspicion that you are actually "interested" in really researching the field.  As I have said in many posts, I don't doubt that "paranormal" stuff can and does happen, I think if more teams started "doing it right" we might someday find a way to measure/capture some phenomena and learn alot more about it.

[Kasey2601]

If I were to investigate, I would do so at night when there's less outside noise and less overall outside stimulation. But that's me and I'm just ignorant like that.

[CakeOrDeath]

Ya, alot of places are already "desolate" and if you are there during daylight hours your have alot more of your faculties going for you.  Plus it's easier to identify sources of sounds and sights in daylight rather than in pitch dark or "green light" of night vision.

I think I would interview peolpe and ask what time of day they encountered whatever...find a genereal "consesus time frame" night or day and go then.  But if I did go at night I would turn on all the lights, I see no reason not to.

[ColoradoParanormal]

CakeOrDeath, on 21 May 2012 - 03:50 PM, said:

Thanks, it confirmed my suspicion that you are actually "interested" in really researching the field.  As I have said in many posts, I don't doubt that "paranormal" stuff can and does happen, I think if more teams started "doing it right" we might someday find a way to measure/capture some phenomena and learn alot more about it.

Yes, thus the sole intent of my group now, as I've stated elsewhere, is to create a Standard of Operations guideline that is specifically designed by scientists and the professor I founded this group with and his colleagues that we have been working with, to make all the thousands of amateur groups obsolete and allow real hard science to prevail. I believe once this is accomplished the findings will be amazing.

[CakeOrDeath]

I look forward to it actually. I would love to learn more about our little world and dimension and how it interracts with space/time around it.  Good luck, what you guys need is a show on PBS for people who are interested but don't need sensationalism to keep them tuned in.

[ColoradoParanormal]

CakeOrDeath, on 22 May 2012 - 09:50 PM, said:

I look forward to it actually. I would love to learn more about our little world and dimension and how it interracts with space/time around it.  Good luck, what you guys need is a show on PBS for people who are interested but don't need sensationalism to keep them tuned in.

Yeah, well actually, now that I've retired from my career with the military (happened on monday of this week) I am going to be starting a foundation with the help of a close friend on this forum actually that will speerhead my teams research to further develop this S.O.P. and take it main stream and also to release all of our data and findings. This will set the standard for this foundation.

I'm seeing it being used to financially fund and provide guidance to up and coming investigators and scientists. Also, to bring the two together. Take the scientifically minded, most rational and educated investigators and introduce them to scientists to create a genuine team to further the research and fund their work. Anyway, that's a project that I'm personally working on.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

The cynical side of me says it's so they can go "I heard something move over there" and point into the darkness ramping up the creepy factor, if it was well lit then the "I heard something move" goes from creepy to pantomime.

[Rafterman]

Wearer of Hats, on 23 May 2012 - 09:57 PM, said:

The cynical side of me says it's so they can go "I heard something move over there" and point into the darkness ramping up the creepy factor, if it was well lit then the "I heard something move" goes from creepy to pantomime.

Plus you can actually see the squirrel in the daylight.

[ColoradoParanormal]

Rafterman, on 24 May 2012 - 01:50 PM, said:

Plus you can actually see the squirrel in the daylight.

Exactly! In summation, scientifically there is no difference between night or day when investigating as far as activity is concerned. There are benefits to night time investigations solely due to a slightly lower chance of data contamination via outside and environmental variables.

So, in answer to the original question: One would find it best suited to investigate at night but, with the lights on for all the reasons posted here. Night time investigations in the pitch black are nothing more than a false precedent created by the media moguls/shows for the "freaky factor." Great job everyone and I mean it!!!!