Experts explained why ghosts happen: Those who heard them were left speechless

Many people attribute that chill in their necks or the feeling that they are not alone when they enter an old, creaky and spooky house to “ghosts”. However, a new study by psychologist Rodney Schmaltz and his team from MacEwan University in Canada revealed that behind the “haunted house” legends, there are not supernatural forces, but a completely physical and insidious force: Infrasound (Infrared/Sonic Waves).

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, reveals how these mysterious waves emitted by boiler rooms, aging pipes and plumbing systems in old buildings disrupt human psychology.

EARS DON’T HEAR BUT THE BODY FEEL

infrasound, At frequency below 20 Hz It is the name given to sound waves. Since this frequency range is outside the normal hearing range of the human ear, we cannot consciously “hear” these sounds. However, just because we cannot hear them does not mean that we are not affected by them. Scientists say that these very low frequency waves are perceived by the human body and mind at a subconscious level.

Rodney Schmaltz, one of the lead authors of the research, summarizes the situation as follows:

“Infrasound waves create a sudden feeling of uneasiness and physical discomfort in the body. If you are someone who tends to believe in ghost stories and supernatural events, your mind will immediately attribute this unrest to a feeling of ‘spirit or presence’. Someone who does not have these beliefs will simply register the same feeling as ‘a dreary and stuffy old building’.”

ITS EXISTENCE WAS PROVEN IN A LABORATORY ENVIRONMENT

To prove this theory once and for all, researchers conducted an extraordinary experiment with 36 volunteers. Participants were made to listen to calming or unsettling music. However, halfway through the experiment, infrasound waves were released into the environment without informing the participants.

The results were quite striking:

-They Didn’t Notice But They Became Aggressive: The volunteers never realized that there was a different voice in the environment. However, when exposed to infrasound waves, they acted much more tense, restless and irritable, regardless of the type of music played.

-They Saw the World More “Darkly”: They described both types of music they listened to while under the influence of ultrasound waves as much more “sad and gloomy” than normal.

-Biological Evidence (Cortisol Burst): Saliva samples taken after the experiment were found in the bodies of people exposed to infrasound waves. cortisol, the stress hormone showed a significant increase. In other words, even though their ears could not hear it, their bodies perceived this sound as a “threat” and went into fight or flight mode.

HAUNTED HOUSE LEGENDS COME TO AN END

So, have scientists completely solved the “haunted house” mystery? The research team is cautious about this. It is a fact that obsolete installations and pipes in old buildings produce such low-frequency vibrations. However, experts state that there may be more than one factor behind why a house feels “haunted”, such as psychological expectations, dim lights and the architectural structure of the environment. Moreover, these waves are not enough to explain the “visual hallucinations and ghostly silhouettes” that some people claim to see.