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The presence of unusual electromagnetic fields
at supposedly "haunted" locations combined with the lack of
photographic evidence of apparitions suggests several possible causes
for some paranormal activity.
One of the posing questions would be why do apparitions
wear clothes? Obviously, a person's clothing does not turn into spectral
wear at the time of their death. What about ghostly noises or smells?
How would they be produced? The answer may lie within the unusual electromagnetic
fields that are present at certain haunted locations. Contemporary neuroscience suggests the existence
of fundamental algorithms by which all sensory Transduction is translated
into the intrinsic, brain-specific code. Direct stimulation of these codes
within the human temporal or limbic cortices by applied electromagnetic
patterns may require energy levels, which are within the range of both
geomagnetic activity and contemporary communication networks. A process,
which is coupled to the narrow band of brain temperature, could allow
all normal human brains to be affected by a subharmonic whose frequency
range at about 10 Hz would only vary by 0.1 Hz.The existence of fundamental commonalties between
all human brains by which a similar physical stimulus can affect them
is not a new concept. It is demonstrated daily by the similar shifts in
qualitative functions that are evoked by psychotropic drugs. Classes of
chemical structures, crudely classified as antidepressant, antipsychotic,
or anxiolytic compounds, produce
general attenuations of lowered mood, extreme eccentric thinking, or extreme
vigilance.
The characteristics of these changes are very
similar within millions of different human brains regardless of their
cultural or genetic history. The idiosyncratic experiences such as the
specific thoughts and images, which reflect each person's continuing process
of adaptation, are superimposed upon these general functions. When translated
into the language of neuroelectrical domains, the unique components of
individual consciousness would be both within and interacting with the
species-invariant patterns.Scientists have been studying the phenomenological
consequences of exposure to complex electromagnetic fields whose temporal
structures have been derived from the most recently observed neuroelectrical
profiles such as burst-firing or long-term potentiating sequences (Brown,
Chapman, Kairiss, & Keenan, 1988) which can be considered the prototypical
basis of a major domain of brain activity. These temporal patterns of
potential codes for accessing and influencing neuronal aggregates have
been applied across the two cerebral hemispheres (through the regions
of the temporoparietal lobes or within the region of the hippocampal-amygdaloid
complex) of the brain as weak electromagnetic fields whose intensities
are usually less than 10 milligauss (1 microT).
The purpose of this research,
as suggested by both E.R. John (1967) and Sommerhoff (1974), is to identify
the basic codes for the language of the representational systems within
the human brain.Data obtained on EM fields in reportedly haunted
locations clearly shows power intensities that vary from 2 to 10 milliguass.
Other abnormal data also indicates that these fields seem to be moving.
These unusual fields are not always present in the environment of the
researched locations.Fleming, Persinger, & Koren, (1994) reported
that whole brain exposure of rats to a 5-microT burst-firing magnetic
field for 1 sec. every 4 sec. evoked an analgesic response that was similar
to that elicited by the application of more noxious, tactile simulation
for 1 sec. every 4 sec. directly to the footpads. Direct electrical stimulation
of the limbic structures which simulate episodic, systemic application
of muscarinic (cholinergic) agents can evoke electrical kindling (Cain,
1989).
More recently, direct induction of chaotic electrical sequences within
the labile CA1 region of the hippocampus has been shown either to promote
or attenuate paroxysmal discharges (Schiff, Jerger, Duong, Chang, Spano, & Ditto, 1994).These results strongly indicate that imitation
of the temporal pattern of sensory transmission directly within the brain
by any nonbiogenic stimuli can evoke changes, which are just as effective
as (and perhaps require less energy than) classical Transduction.The apparent dependence of organismic responses
upon the intensity of the applied electromagnetic field, the "intensity-dependent
response curve," could simply be an artifact of the absence of biorelevant
information within the wave pattern. If the temporal structure of the
applied electromagnetic field contained detailed and biorelevant information
(Richards, Persinger, & Koren, 1993), then the intensity of the field
required to elicit a response could be
several orders of magnitude below the values which have been previously
found to elicit changes. For example, Sandyk (1992) and Jacobson (1994)
have found that complex magnetic fields with variable interstimulus pulse
durations could evoke unprecedented changes in melatonin levels even with
intensities within the nanoT range.
The classical counterargument that "very strong"
magnetic fields must be present "to exceed or to compensate for the
electromagnetic noise associated with intrinsic (Boltzmann) thermal energies"
is based upon equations and calculations for the quantitative indices
of aggregates of molecular activity and not upon the pattern of their
interaction. There are other possibilities. For example, Weaver and Astumian
(1990) have shown mathematically that detection of very weak (microV/cm)
fields can occur if the response is exhibited within a narrow band of
frequencies; the detection is a function of both thermally induced fluctuations
in membrane potential and the maximum increment of change in the membrane
potential which is evoked by the applied magnetic field. The ion-cyclotron-resonance
model which was initiated by the research of Blackman, Bename, Rabinowitz,
House, and Joines (1985) and supported by Lerchl, Reiter, Howes, Honaka,
and Stokkan (1991) indicates that, when an alternating magnetic field
at a distance (resonance) frequency is superimposed upon a steady-state
magnetic field, the movement of calcium and other ions can be facilitated
with very small energies.
More than 25 years ago, Ludwig (1968) developed
a compelling (but hereto ignored) mathematical argument, which described
the absorption of atmospherics within the brain.Above these minimal thresholds, the information
content of the wave structure becomes essential. The simplest analogy
would be the response of a complex neural network such as a human being
to sonic energy. If only a 1000-Hz (sine wave) tone were presented, the
intensity required to evoke a response could well exceed 90 db; in this
instance the avoidant response would be overt and crude. However, if the
structure of the sonic field was modified to exhibit the complex pattern
which was equivalent to biorelevant information such as "help me,
I am dying," field strengths several orders of magnitude weaker,
e.g., 30 db, could be sufficient. This single, brief but information-rich
stimulus would evoke a response, which could recruit every major cognitive
domain.Sonic energy is interesting when it is applied
to the possible cause of some paranormal activity. Breaking glasses and
other similar phenomena has also been recorded in haunted environments.
Another interesting piece of data was obtained during an investigation
of the Church Street Café in Albuquerque New Mexico. During the
investigation, two reporters from the Daily Lobo, a University of New
Mexico newspaper, were interviewing two SGHA investigators near the front
door. All four persons clearly heard a loud knock coming from the adjacent
room. A video camera was set up and running in the adjacent room, but
no knocking was recorded on the audio of the videotape.
This suggests that the noises heard were not actually present as all details
of the conversation before and after the event are plainly discernable
by the audio of the videotape. Unusual EM fields, previously measured
at 5 milliguass, were found near the glass case that sits against the
wall separating the rooms.If the information within the structure of the
applied magnetic field is a major source of its neurobehavioral effect,
then the "intensity-dependent" responses, which are interpreted
as support for experimental hypotheses of biomagnetic interaction, could
be both epiphenomenal and artifactual. Such amplification of electromagnetic-field
strengths would also increase the intensity of the extremely subtle and
almost always ignored subharmonics, ripples, and other temporal anomalies,
which are superimposed upon or within the primary frequency. These subtle
anomalies would be due to the artifacts within the different electronic
circuits and components whose similarities are based upon the fidelity
of the endpoint (the primary frequency) despite the different geometries
employed to produce the endpoint.If information rather than intensity is important
for interaction with the neural network (Jahn & Dunne, 1987), then
these unspecified "background" patterns may be the source of
both the experimental effects and the failures of interlaboratory replications.
A concrete example of this problem exists within the putative association
between exposure to power (60 Hz) frequency magnetic fields and certain
types of cancer.Within the last five years, several researchers
have reported that direct and significant effects upon specific neuropatterns
can be evoked by extremely weak magnetic fields whose intensities are
within the range of normal geomagnetic variations. Sandyk (1992) has discerned
significant changes in vulnerable subjects such as patients who were diagnosed
with neurological disorders following exposure of short durations to magnetic
fields whose strengths are within the pT to nT range but whose spatial
applications are multifocal (a fasces-type structure) and designed to
introduce heterogeneous patterns within a very localized brain space.
The effective components of the field (which are assumed to be discrete
temporal patterns due to the modulation of the frequency and intensity
of the electromagnetic fields) are not always obvious; however, the power
levels for these amplitudes are similar to those associated with the signals
(generated globally by radio and communication systems) within which most
human beings are exposed constantly. Within the last two decades (Persinger, Ludwig, & Ossenkopp, 1973) a potential has emerged which was improbable but
which is now marginally feasible. This potential is the technical capability
to influence directly the major portion of the approximately six billion
brains of the human species without meditation through classical sensory
modalities by generating neural information within a physical medium within
which all members of the species are immersed. The historical emergence
of such possibilities, which have ranged from gunpowder to atomic fission,
have resulted in major changes in the social evolution that occurred inordinately
quickly after the implementation. Reduction of the risk of the inappropriate
application of these technologies requires the continued and open discussion
of their realistic feasibility and implications within the scientific
and public domain.
Summary of Part 2 We believe that this is the process in which EMPs
interact with thier enviroment. It explains how "ghosts" can
create smells, noises and other perceived phenomena including apparitions.
The lack of photographic evidence suggests that "apparitions" are perceived phenomena and therefore not able to be captured on film
or digital media.
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