I know its a mouthful, but bear with me. I'll try to break it down into my different points and let them build on each other.

The Wikipedia entry to get you started:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement
Quoting from the above:

"Broadly speaking, quantum mechanics incorporates four classes of phenomena that classical physics cannot account for: (i) the quantization (discretization - note, this is NOT quantification - the root word is quantum, not quantity) of certain physical quantities, (ii) wave-particle duality, (iii) the uncertainty principle, and (iv) quantum entanglement."

The long and the short of it is that elementary particles, of which light is the most famous example, possess the properties of both particles (like solid matter) AND waves. This discovery was the genesis for quantum physics. Understanding this concept (below) is VITAL to the remainder of my example.

The basic experiment was:


1) shoot a bunch of particles, lets say BBs, through a barrier with one slit in the center. The "pattern" of particles on the wall behind the slit were, as you would presume, within the same general shape as the slit.

With two slits, you get two "slit patterns", next to each other, of particles striking the wall, like you would expect.




2) produce a wave, such as a normal roundish ripple in water, that moves toward the single slit barrier. On the wall behind the barrier, the wave will have a much different and more broad appearance - nothing at all like the slit pattern, which means the wave hits the slit and is changed slightly but more or less retains its normal wave shape, though reduced because some of the wave was unable to penetrate the barrier - it produces a "wave pattern" on the wall, very different than the slit pattern of the particle.

When the barrier has two slits, the single wave hits both slits and breaks apart and creates TWO smaller waves on the other side of the barrier - where the two waves overlap, a new, strong wave is created - the new wave and the two existing and weaker waves ALL travel from the barrier and strike the wall, leaving what is called an "interference pattern" because the waves interfere with each other. The most intense result is where the "new" wave, which is reinforced when the other two waves overlap, strikes the wall, with the original two barrier waves having less but still noticeable effect on the wall - no real "slit" pattern can be seen, as the waves themselves affected each other's trajectories, basically "knocking each other off course" and exaggerating the scattered "wave pattern".



3) shoot a beam of photons (light) through the single-slit barrier. On the wall you see the standard slit pattern just like the particle. The photons behave as particles when shot through a single slit.

Now shoot a beam of photons at a barrier with two slits - instead of two slit patterns like you would expect (since it behaved as a particle when shot through a single slit), the photon beam breaks apart and creates two smaller waves, with the overlap in between creating the third central wave, which all strike the wall and produce an interference pattern like wave, instead of a dual slit pattern like a particle!

4) Confused by this, scientists decided to measure the beam of photons, so they placed a measuring device next to the two-slit barrier, but when they shot the beam of light through the barrier, it created two slit patterns, as if it were a PARTICLE - Even though they had just SEEN the wave interference pattern on the wall from this SAME experiment!


PERCEPTION AND REALITY
The act of OBSERVING the photons themselves, rather than their resulting patterns on the wall behind the barrier, caused the NATURE of the beam of photons to CHANGE. Merely by LOOKING at the beam of photons, reality itself was changed and the beam of photons behaved differently, almost as though "it knew it was being watched".

Years later, scientists next shot two identical photons in opposite directions and attempted to measure the location and momentum of each. Even more baffling than the wave-particle duality, scientists found that observing and measuring one photon, its location for example, affected the other, and vice-versa.

This leads to the idea of "quantum entanglement", which basically indicates that any two particles or photons or what-have-you, are inter-related and communicating with each other in a way that we are as-yet unable to detect or understand but which Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity states can NOT exceed the speed of light, even though the observation and of particle 1 and a change in particle 2 seems to be simultaneous.



GHOSTS?
So what does any of this have to do with ghosts, you ask me? To be perfectly honest, I can't quite explain it. Some people see ghosts all the time, some never do - sometimes in the very same place. "Haunted" locations get tourists from all over - some tourists excitedly report their own sighting or experience, while others shrug and shake their heads, saying "maybe next time". "Psychics" can walk through a house, "see" and "hear" all sorts of things (and people), detect "cold spots", get "bad feelings", while a non-psychic may follow them immediately and even stand in the same spot and shrug, saying "Mmm. This step's loose?" but otherwise perceive nothing close to what the psychic did.

Do "ghosts" work on a quantum level? The light needed for us to see an object - does it behave as a wave or a particle when someone perceives a "ghost"? Since everything is made of particles or photons, when someone "observes" a ghost, what mechanical effect does this have on reality? Does it change the ghost itself? Does it change the person, if the ghost is OBSERVING THEM?

Do some people NOT see ghosts because their vision gives them only "slit pattern" results, while someone else's vision may be only "interference pattern"? And what if you're LOOKING for a ghost, but you're skeptical you'll find one? You are observing the surroundings, but in so doing, you are altering the basic environment, changing photonic manifestations from wave back to particle.

I am not a scientist, nor a mathematician, nor a scholar, so I cannot possibly put forth a THEORY on what, if anything, any of this means, but I feel these vital concepts of quantum reality and its malleability due to the effect of conscious observation most likely hold THE "key" to a more profound understanding not just of ghosts and the paranormal, but the ultimate reality of the universe and existance itself.

Thank you for your time.

New Scientist magazine is a good starting place to read about Quantum Mechanics.

I'd like to know if it's been proven that it was the observation that changed the behavior. Have they conducted the same experiment, not only with human observers, but without, and recorded both sets of results with cameras. Cameras can see, but have no will or perception of their own, they simply record, and therefore, should not change the behavior of the particles while recording.

Very, very interesting! Much food for thought!

This is such a great concept/theory. I also think you did a very good job of explaining it. Thanks for including the diagrams, too.

The only part that I need clarification on is...



Oh, after re-reading I see that you are saying that the two particles are communicating seemingly faster than the speed of light (simulatenously copying each other), which would violate the theory unless there was another explanation. Ah ha!



I have known this to be true intuitively , but now you've shored me up with science. Even though the spirit world can choose to intervene with the disbelieving and sometimes the unwilling, it overwhelmingly responds to those reaching out to it! I know because I tried.



I'll wait for your next theory and read it in layman's (layperson's?) terms. And thank you for your time!

And as for cameras having no will of their own... I remember once reading a spirit photographer's observation that the person taking the photo highly affects what form the spirit manifestation will take or whether the camera will even record anything at all. The photographer even had several people photographing simultaneously, each getting different results and shapes of orbs. I have no personal experience or proof of this, but I think that the camera is like an extended eye of the person operating it.

I'm gonna admit I am pretty stupid, so correct me if I screw up anything on the scientfic-theory part.

Okay, so perhaps this explains away incorporeal manifestations, and perhaps psychics/mediums, but what about the rest of the list? And the fact non-psychics "namely, unfortunate homeowners/janitors in places with activity) CAN experience all of the same phenomenon.

Then, as I said, there is everything else that goes along with hauntings/paranormal activity:

being pushed, shoved, grabbed, touched, caresses, pulled on, thrown, scratched, and outright attacked+possesion phenomoenon being followed by some of these things as well, further sweetening the pot. Then you have got: objects being thrown, slammed, broken, banged, clanged, set off, turned on, flickering, levitating, and stomped on.

So, if you are saying that the theory presented is to explain away some of a psychic's sexy-coolness+the sexy-coolness of actually SEEING a spirit, then yes we might have a winner with your theory. But I am myself lukewarm to it explaining away my list of everything else that often accompanies "ghostly" presence. At least one documented report for each can be found for each phenomenon, and has been documented by an investigator/reasearcher who has the mindset of debunking. So Mi do not believe we can just pass them off as 'nothing' either.

Just saying, interesting theory though.

First: YAY people read this! Thank you! =)

Of course its not close to a "unified paranormal field" theory. However, if, as some postulate, our Universe is essentially perception based, this can cover much ground. For an experience or event of any kind to truly affect someone personally, they must perceive it. Either vision, touch, hearing - something must carry the event into a person's awareness, or else it effectively doesn't even happen.

Now applying this to the particles-as-dictated-by-observation behavior, suppose you had a "known phenomenon", I'll use the Spooklight at Hornet, Missouri, since I've been there. Many witnesses will tell stories of the Spooklight. I've been there almost half-a-dozen times, never saw anything. BUT - on these occasions, neither did the other people nearby, while I was there. What if this is in fact a behavior in itself OF the phenomenon? Similar but NOT identical to the photon example, perhaps my observation FOR (and/or my skepticism about) the Spooklight CAUSED a LACK of manifestation, much as the scientists' observation caused the photon's behavior to change ("Oh, you think I should act like a particle? Okay.") or even NULLIFIED an ALREADY manifested Spooklight.

So if it is expectation-based reality, why is one person's disbelief apparently stronger than a crowd of believers ideas? It may be because for Man, although phenomenon has always existed, the "known" is our "day to day", therefore the unified Human perception of the world, even for "believers", is rational and concrete and provides a very wide and deep foundation for DISBELIEF. This essentially produces a "mass psychic resonance", with the skeptic's (dis)belief being unwittingly echoed by the "skeptics" IN the believers, thereby disrupting the reality of the phenomenon. The "watched pot never boils" is a simplistic variation of expectation-based-reality. And what of this resonance? It is "paranormal" too, why isn't it disrupted? Ah, because it is NOT BEING OBSERVED. No one is looking for it, therefore it is unaffected by this "anti-weird field".

In the example of "non-psychics" in my earlier post, I was unclear that by "psychic" I meant BOTH "official" and unofficial - anyone that sees phenomenae would be considered "psychic" in some fashion, as they are able to perceive such an event, though perhaps simply calling them "open" is less of a "loaded" term - it may in fact simply be a factor of belief and its effect on observation.

Interesting jpatt.......I think you can find evidence for the power of belief or lack of in various fields. Placebo effect with healing for one.

JPATT, long time no see! I have a similar thread on QP too. Could any of my info help? Please read.

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum...topic=40972&hl=

Simple solution, which I had intended, but maybe it needs to be illustrated. Automate the camera. That would remove and and all will and belief from the equation.

Very interesting jpatt and thanks for the graphical presentation it really helped.

You brought up some very good points and analogies regarding the observer effect, more specifically the effect that a believing observer might have and the effect that a disbelieving observer might have.

I believe we all have a "believer" and "non-believer" is us. If you want to be a believer you have to learn ways to quiet the non-believer, or doubt, in your mind. I believe the easiest way of doing this is to focus intently on what you want and then, immediately after you feel you can't hold it any longer, forget about it. Think of something else before your mind starts to eat away at your desires or what you want or intend to happen. This is similar to what is called, in some occult groups, removing the "lust for result".

I guess what I'm getting at is that this could explain why some believers see nothing, while some skeptics see something and become believers. Take your "Spooklight" example, a skeptic could consider the possibility of witnessing something but then quickly discard such notions, planting the "seed" in their subconcious. When they go to check it out, they're not expecting to see anything but they do. While a believer might hold their expectations in mind the whole time never giving the "seed" a chance to be planted.

I hope this makes some sense.

Very well expressed and interesting theory!

I remember watching a program, I think on PBS some years ago, with a British scholar (not sure if he was a psychologist or scientist) who had been doing some experiments concerning people's ability to learn.

He found that once a particular task had been learned for the first time by one person, unrelated people, those not knowing of this person or his/her discovery, spent less time in discovering the same answer or solution to the task. And the results seemed to work out this way consistently regardless of the task. To him these results seemed to indicate that the discovery of knowledge might somehow find its way into the universal consciousness (for lack of a better term) and was then readily available for others to tune into.

Perhaps on some level all things communicate in ways scientists barely perceive.

I agree. Although I don't really understand the science of it, it is very interesting.

agreed.

I mean the theory itself seemed vast and epic, I only got bits and pieces though.

I'm reading all these theories which all sound very scientific to me and it talks about matter and scientific views and ghosts and who can see and hear spirits and this and that.
some people can see spirits and some can't.

I just had to write about my mornings experiences with my Spirit Friends because one is taking me shopping and the other one is telling me how I need to finish painting the bathroom ceiling, and another points out that I ought to fix the leak in the toilet.

I'm writing about this because when this all started I had to call plumbers and painters and things because I didn't know how to do anything but with the encouragement of my Guides I have learned how to replace a pipe under the sink that had a hole eaten in it.

I learned how to replace the O ring in the Toilet and replace some parts inside the tank.

You may ask what does this have to do with anything and may nothing but I think its important to know that men and women in the Spirit World can come back here and give me knowledge that I never had before and through helpful suggestions they can help me save hundreds of dollars a year on all sorts of things including plumbing.

Some of this may not seem important but to a spirit in the After Life who wants people to know they are alive even simple things like this can be a big help when they are channelling through someone like me who has always been helpless and now they have me doing some of my own work rather than hiring others to do it.

Also some of my Guides were not free to travel about down here and do ordinary things because they had to have body guards, but in the Spirit World they can travel about and work through people like me and do just ordinary things.

You may say now, don't they have anything better to do with their time in the Spirit World.

They are teachers who return here to teach others what Spirits can do to help us in our everyday life once we begin to see the Reality of their Existence.

Or you could just go down to Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse and ask them how to do it.

You're right I could have gone to Lowe's or Home Depot and gotten the Information, but that's not the point of the Story.

The Point of the Story is Spirits who died more than fourty years ago made house calls and taught me these things and I didn't even have to leave my home to get the Information.

This basically was just written about here to tell those who are interested how communication between the World Beyond and Earth can take place and all the wonderful things we can learn from them if we choose to do so.

Rosemary, your story has little to do with the intended discussion of this thread. Derailing topics is against forum rules. while mainly it gets threads closed, this is an interesting topic so i am adressing the issue with you. Stay on topic. If you cannot, feel free to post in your blog or find a topic which suits what you intend to post.

Sorry if I got off topic, but it is about Ghosts and the reality of Ghosts and Communication and or proof of them, and earlier in the Subject I did correspond back and fourth with several posters who wrote back and fourth asking questions and so I guess I mistakenly thought their questions meant they were interested in what I was saying as I tried to offer proof of my 20 years of channelling for Spirits who by the way are Ghosts or Dead People who once lived on Earth but are now what everyone refers to as Ghosts and shadow people in the World beyond Earth where all must go after we die and leave Earth.
The front page of this website says things of the Paranormal, and Unexplained Mysteries and I believe everything I have been writing about here has been about the Paranormal and I have also tried to write as honestly as I can about my experiences and I did it in hopes that I can use my experiences to help those who are interested in knowing what is beyond Earth and What Life after Death is like as told to me by my Channelers in the Spirit World who help me right here through Automatic Writing.
And in fact as I wrote this post they are writing about 'The Reality of Ghosts and Perception'
Now if this Forum isn't really about Unexplained Mysteries which I am writing about from my own Experiences, please feel free to say so.

I among others respect your opinion of beyond Earth and what life after death is like. However that is just that an opinion, you don't know this for a fact ...

-oh she knows this so it must be true, yes, Rosemary we all must believe what you say because you 'know' all of this'-

...the only person I'd be likely to think is telling me that they KNOW about life after death would be a survivor that has been clinically dead. A meduim that has been too accurate about me and/or people i know for my liking could be the person to enquire about what is beyond Earth. I'm not saying you can't help us and insight us with your experiences what I am saying is try to see it from our point of view

Here's a thought, it has been stated psychic can see/hear where as a non-psychic might not see/hear anything there could be a telekinetic wave that a psychic can give out and it bounce back giving them the vibes/sights/sounds that they percieve (kinda like bats and sonar). The wave being put out in a way that our understanding of physics cannot grasp yet. (going out on a limb with that one)