Comments on: The Paranormal – Building Science Nexus

By: Matt Bezanson

Matt Bezanson — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 18:50:01 +0000

We have to be careful here.
We have to be careful here. Yes, there are molds (particularly ergot on rye) that cause hallucinations when ingested. I know of no evidence to suggest that this can happen from airborne contamination. Several orders of magnitude difference in the amount of toxin in the bloodstream.

By: Matt Bezanson

Matt Bezanson — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 14:50:01 +0000

By: Andrew Kosick

Andrew Kosick — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 23:10:42 +0000

I cannot cite a source for
I cannot cite a source for this but have heard tell that the Victorian England era phenomenon of paranormal activity curiously coincides with the introduction of gas lighting, which was capable of producing more light than its paraffin predecessors but also more carbon monoxide, and unlike the coal stove was not vented to the outside.

By: Andrew Kosick

Andrew Kosick — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 19:10:42 +0000

By: John Poole

John Poole — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 18:15:40 +0000

There's a short novel called
There's a short novel called "The Shunned House" written by HP Lovecraft back in the 1920s. It's about a haunted house, and based somewhat on an actual c.1763 home, still standing today in Providence, RI, that the author had been familiar with.

The fictional house of the novel is described as causing the sickness and death of many of its occupants over the years, and as having "a foul smell and whitish, phosphorescent fungi growing in the cellar".

The author also describes the investigators of the home as initially being overcome with hallucinatory effects, but in the end, this activity, of course, is finally attributed to supernatural causes.

So there you go! Naturally, this story was the first thing that came to mind when reading your post this morning. I agree with Charles that the linking of poor IAQ to hallucinations in some people has merit and is probably worth investigating.

But this theory still fails to explain how familiar spirits can manifest themselves as squirrels... ;-)

~ John

By: Charles

Charles — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 16:58:39 +0000

I can appreciate this, but I
I can appreciate this, but I also like to believe that there are things out there that we have no control over (world just too darned predictable sometimes). I am a fan of the Ghost Adventures tv show, but about half of their shows seem to be in the arid South West.

But I entirely see how airborne mold spores could generate a hallucinogenic response - heck, larger mold growths (mushrooms) have been doing that for thousands of years. I think the theory has a very solid foundation.

By: John Poole

John Poole — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 14:15:40 +0000

There's a short novel called
There's a short novel called "The Shunned House" written by HP Lovecraft back in the 1920s. It's about a haunted house, and based somewhat on an actual c.1763 home, still standing today in Providence, RI, that the author had been familiar with.    The fictional house of the novel is described as causing the sickness and death of many of its occupants over the years, and as having "a foul smell and whitish, phosphorescent fungi growing in the cellar".     The author also describes the investigators of the home as initially being overcome with hallucinatory effects, but in the end, this activity, of course, is finally attributed to supernatural causes.    So there you go! Naturally, this story was the first thing that came to mind when reading your post this morning. I agree with Charles that the linking of poor IAQ to hallucinations in some people has merit and is probably worth investigating.     But this theory still fails to explain how familiar spirits can manifest themselves as squirrels... ;-)    ~ John

By: Charles

Charles — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 12:58:39 +0000

I can appreciate this, but I
I can appreciate this, but I also like to believe that there are things out there that we have no control over (world just too darned predictable sometimes). I am a fan of the Ghost Adventures tv show, but about half of their shows seem to be in the arid South West.    But I entirely see how airborne mold spores could generate a hallucinogenic response - heck, larger mold growths (mushrooms) have been doing that for thousands of years. I think the theory has a very solid foundation.