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Seen a ghost? Then you may have inhaled...


Mac E

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If you think you have seen a ghost, you may have been suffering the effects of exposure to mould, according to a group of scientists.

Researchers claim that older buildings where hauntings are usually reported, often have poor air quality from pollutants like toxic mould, which can affect our brains.

Exposure to the mould can cause mood swings, irrational anger and cognitive impairment.

‘Experiences reported in many hauntings are similar to mental or neurological symptoms reported by individuals exposed to toxic moulds,’ said Professor Shane Rogers of Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York.

‘Psychoactive effects of some fungi are well-known, whereas the effects of others such as indoor moulds are less researched.

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Edited by Mac E
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Oh great teenagers are going to start showing up a famous sites trying to get high of the historic atmosphere.

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But it does of explain ghosts outside of buildings or new buildings

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Toxic mold can exist outside of buildings, so yes it can explain outdoor sightings. Newer buildings however, are harder to explain, but then again I haven't heard of too many hauntings in newer buildings.

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lol, this is funny. Want those hairs on the back of your neck to stand up, want chills to accompany that? Sniff some good ole fashioned mold! You heard it folks.

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This isn't a new theory at all. It is pretty standard when investigating a reported "haunting" to do an environmental sweep first. Carbon monoxide, gas, mold, high emf and any number of other contaminants can really mess with the mind, especially with prolonged exposure.

I was hoping this article had some specific science instead of just conjecture but it sounds like this team is working on it. Stay tuned...?shrug?

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those darn scientists !!! always coming up with theories, so it was my grandads mouldy old socks which caused it all this time

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Tell ya what Mac E , the next time you are in my neck of the woods I will show you a ghost... (mold, my foot)

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Oh great teenagers are going to start showing up a famous sites trying to get high of the historic atmosphere.

And thus the new fad of "Mold Huffing" was born.

Whispered exchange in an alley:

"Dude.... What kind of molds do you have for me today?"

Toxic mold can exist outside of buildings, so yes it can explain outdoor sightings. Newer buildings however, are harder to explain, but then again I haven't heard of too many hauntings in newer buildings.

It only really takes a couple months and some moisture to get a good mold colony going.

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This isn't a new theory at all. It is pretty standard when investigating a reported "haunting" to do an environmental sweep first. Carbon monoxide, gas, mold, high emf and any number of other contaminants can really mess with the mind, especially with prolonged exposure.

Paranormal investigators who care for their health are wearing masks when investigating in older buildings anyway. Besides toxic mould, these places may also contain such health hazards as asbestos or fiberglass insulation. Better be safe than sorry.

Now as to use this explanation to debunk every 'ghost' sightings, it is a stretch I am not willing to make.

As Sharon Hill of Doubtful News points out:

''My prediction is that they will find mold and they will find people freaking out about ghosts. But the two are not necessarily causally related, just correlated. Old places have mold and a produce a sense of uneasiness as well as having cultural history that lends itself to a haunt legend. The idea of ghosts and hauntings have been with humanity for, well, forever, I’d guess. There is not going to be a simple answer to why some places feel haunted, certainly not hallucinogenic mold.''

Source: http://doubtfulnews....4/moldy-ghosts/

Edited by samus
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I seem to remember that the hallucogenic fungus known as Ergot was blamed by some historians for contributing to the Salem Witch episode.

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But why do we see only ghosts and not flying spaghetti monsters, why not a fairy or God?

Preconceived notions. People go into an old ruin, or old house (especially if they've been told it is haunted) and they expect to see a ghost, rather then anything else. Who in their right mind would have preconceived notion to see the FSM?

People see fairies when they go into the woods. And they see aliens when they see a strange light in the sky. And they see bigfoot, when they hear a noise that sounds like a big animal.

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So spirit mediums are really just mold-addicted druggies.

Muy bueno.

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Dead people may cause sightings of ghosts.

How so? They're dead, they're not actually going anywhere.

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But why do we see only ghosts and not flying spaghetti monsters, why not a fairy or God?

Are you sure? I saw gods and goddesses when I tried practices according to old Greek and Egyptian magical papyri. :yes:

And whe I tried it, some people in my neighborhood also saw these creatures.

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Are you sure? I saw gods and goddesses when I tried practices according to old Greek and Egyptian magical papyri. :yes:

And whe I tried it, some people in my neighborhood also saw these creatures.

Should I ask for you to provide some evidence to this, or are you just being sarcastic?

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I seem to remember that the hallucogenic fungus known as Ergot was blamed by some historians for contributing to the Salem Witch episode.

Spot on Ealdwita! Ergot was the culprit in a lot of the hallucinations and espisodes that were blamed on *witches*. It ended up being baked into some bread if I'm not mistaken. I'll have to google it to be sure. Also, other plants found later to be deadly and poisonous if ingested were to blame for *witches* and/or *demonic* possession :yes:

I can see where mold can affect certain people adversely but I don't think *all* reported ghost sitings are due to mold; many other factors too. Could be psychosis or *heavens forbid* someone could have seen one ;) You just never know.

Edited to add a link to Ergot and Witch Trials: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/witches-curse-clues-evidence/1501/ Interesting stuff :tu:

Edited by She-ra
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Paranormal investigators who care for their health are wearing masks when investigating in older buildings anyway. Besides toxic mould, these places may also contain such health hazards as asbestos or fiberglass insulation. Better be safe than sorry.

Now as to use this explanation to debunk every 'ghost' sightings, it is a stretch I am not willing to make.

As Sharon Hill of Doubtful News points out:

''My prediction is that they will find mold and they will find people freaking out about ghosts. But the two are not necessarily causally related, just correlated. Old places have mold and a produce a sense of uneasiness as well as having cultural history that lends itself to a haunt legend. The idea of ghosts and hauntings have been with humanity for, well, forever, I’d guess. There is not going to be a simple answer to why some places feel haunted, certainly not hallucinogenic mold.''

Source: http://doubtfulnews....4/moldy-ghosts/

No doubt it's always a good place to start. As others have pointed out here, the human imagination is very powerful. Fueled by stories of the paranormal, anything unexplained can quickly become something to fear. Add in a pinch cognitive impairment due to toxins in the environment and it can become terrifying very quickly.

Fear and stress compounded over time can pose just as big a health risk as these toxins. Identifying them and fixing the problem not only removes the physical risk, it also empowers the residents with a feeling that they have taken back some control of their environment. Then, if all the other factors are ruled out/removed and you still have unexplained activity, you have something to truly investigate.

Personally, I am convinced of the possibility that there are spirits walking among us. But, I also believe that 90% of paranormal cases are misdiagnosed.

Just my .02

Edited by Calibeliever
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Are you sure? I saw gods and goddesses when I tried practices according to old Greek and Egyptian magical papyri. :yes:

And whe I tried it, some people in my neighborhood also saw these creatures.

I...what? You inhaled god-mold and had visions of Zeus and Sobek? Really? Either reveal that you're joking or please tell me more, because this is either the most deadpan humour on the internet or you have had one hell of a psychedelic journey.

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I...what? You inhaled god-mold and had visions of Zeus and Sobek? Really? Either reveal that you're joking or please tell me more, because this is either the most deadpan humour on the internet or you have had one hell of a psychedelic journey.

There are a couple possibilities. Using of "mirrors". In old Egypt and Greece was used a cup of oil for concentration of mind for example. Meditation about a name. Good is thinking on the name when you breath in - inhale name. Meditation before sleep and some others techniques. No drugs are needed. See translantion old texts, are free on net.

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This could explain some ghost sightings. But what about the ones when multiple people see and hear the same thing?

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