Top 10 Paranormal Myths

Just because the paranormal is the realm of the unexplained doesn't mean there isn't any explaining to be done. Humans have always sought to define the world around us, and even the worlds that may be beyond us. As a result, over the millennia, we have developed countless theories and told countless stories within the realm of paranormal pop culture, and there have been many misconceptions that have taken root in the public consciousness. Believe it or not, even when it comes to the mysterious realm of ghosts, aliens, and creatures, there are some things that we can pretty confidently label as fake. So, to clear up some incorrect assumptions about the unexplained, let's take a look at the top 10 paranormal myths.

Need to brush up on your paranormal lingo? Consult our paranormal glossary.

1. There are paranormal facts
   The term "paranormal" applies to everything that is currently beyond the scope of scientific explanation. So anyone who claims to have access to the rulebook of the paranormal and knows a foolproof way to make a ghost go "boo!" he's probably a charlatan... or on the verge of becoming quite famous. Many researchers, including renowned scientists, have convincing theories about unexplained phenomena and are trying to apply them using the scientific method, but so far, paranormal facts do not exist.

2. Ghosts only come out at night
   There are many reasons to hunt ghosts at night: the world calms down as the day fades; some locations only allow you to enter after the close of daytime business hours; it's much spookier at night; and most importantly, it's the best time to play with your sweet night vision camera! But if you want to chase ghosts, you can do it just as effectively during the day, according to most paranormal investigators. In fact, it might even be a more effective time because that's when the dead were probably most alive.

3. There is no physical evidence of Bigfoot
   While no bodies have been found, Bigfoot researchers say there is plenty of physical evidence to suggest the creatures exist, including hair, blood, tissue, footprints, and, yes, scat. There is also a growing community of scientists who believe in Sasquatch, including famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall and Idaho State University's Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum, among others. Eric Altman of the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society emphasizes that, in terms of the lack of physical remains (a dead Sasquatch), fossilization requires very specific conditions and Mother Nature has an effective system to decompose animal remains in about 10 days, for what a newborn—a dead specimen of the already rare creature would be hard to find.

4. Only old buildings are haunted
   A decrepit old Victorian mansion with broken windows, creaky floors, and moldy furniture may be the best haunted house in Hollywood, but it's not where the ghosts necessarily hang out. Beyond old houses, investigators claim to have found paranormal evidence in prisons, asylums, hospitals, hotels, museums, battleships, cruise ships, cars, highways, and forests. New locations can also be haunted, just like the ground where a new building is established. Nor does there necessarily have to be a death on the property. It is widely accepted within the paranormal community that objects and people themselves can be the focus of a ghost.

5. America's paranormal fascination is new
   Although the paranormal has become quite popular with the advent of investigative-based reality TV, America's fascination goes back to the nation's origins. The paranormal peaked in the US in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries with the introduction of spiritualism, a religious philosophy that held that communication with the spirit world is positive. Mary Todd Lincoln, Mark Twain, and Harry Houdini were among the American celebrities who became part of the paranormal conversation, with the public gathering in homes and auditoriums to connect with the dead in séances. Beyond the ghosts, future President Teddy Roosevelt wrote of a frontiersman's encounter with a Bigfoot-like creature in 1893, and other Sasquatch stories would periodically appear in the news. Long before the Battle of Los Angeles in 1942 or the Roswell Incident in 1947, "airships" were reported in the skies over America, and journalist S.E. Haydon wrote about the accident of such a ship in Aurora, Texas, in 1897, some 6 years before the Wright brothers' first flight.

1. Aliens are little green men in flying saucers.
   Actually, the most popular aliens are the little gray men, according to believers. In America, "The Greys" are the archetypes when it comes to alien encounters, and they were supposedly encountered in The Roswell Incident. The creatures supposedly have large, black, bulging eyes and a slit for a mouth on their oversized head. However, eyewitnesses have also reported aggressive reptilians and blond-haired Nordic humanoids, along with dozens of other alien species. As for the flying saucer part, ufologists claim that we should add flying crescents, cigar-shaped crafts, triangular ships, and a V-shaped ship to the classic flying saucer motif.

2. No one still believes in vampires.
   Folklore bloodsuckers have enjoyed a welcome comeback in paranormal pop culture in recent years, but they never completely disappeared in some societies. Indian politicians recently offered a $2,000 bounty to vampires who sucked the blood of villagers' cattle in the Tamil Nadu city of Dharampuri, reminiscent of the 2004 exhumation and subsequent burial of a corpse in Marotinu de Sus. , Romania. Supernatural demons may not look like the sexy beasts of "Twilight" and "True Blood," but they are still very much alive (or undead) in various parts of the world. Even within the United States, there are subcultures of individuals who believe they belong to a class of vampires, with groups especially active in New Orleans and New York City.

3. Modern zombies are supernatural.
   The term "zombie" has been in use for over a century and, prior to 1968, was applied to seemingly soulless slaves created by Haitian voodoo "magic." After 1968, when George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead was released, the term changed forever. Modern zombies are the result of an inexplicable contagion but they are not supernatural. According to zombie expert Matt Mogk of the Zombie Research Society, the modern zombie is a relentlessly aggressive reanimated human corpse fueled by a biological infection. So supernatural vampires, mummies, Norse draugrs, and all revenants don't need to request brunch with this group.

4. Skeptics and believers don't get along
   In reality, there are many skeptics involved in the paranormal community, and they are usually welcomed by research groups. When the 2 groups operate together, skeptics can help refute misidentified phenomena. If something cannot be disproved, it brings believers closer to a possibly legitimate experience. Dave Schrader, host of the popular paranormal radio show Darkness Radio, says believers in the paranormal are not at war with the "skeptical nation," and he accepts his input because he prefers to be taken seriously when the findings are reviewed. . Also, most skeptics get confused with cynics, but they actively want a paranormal experience, but they want it to be real and not just a false positive.

5. The paranormal is bad for business
   Even if the phenomenon is unexplained, the business world is a firm believer in the paranormal. Paranormal tourism, where travelers spend their vacation money on pilgrimages to genre conventions and famous hotspots, is a bustling industry. Rather than shy away from a paranormal reputation, locations are embracing it. Every city seems to have a few ghost tour operations, while haunted house attractions and vampire balls abound, and entire towns across America are defined by their paranormal personalities. The Roswell UFO Festival draws crowds of alien enthusiasts to New Mexico each July. Meanwhile, Point Pleasant, WV, belongs to The Mothman, and Salem, MA, has a tourist industry focused on the infamous witch trials. Zombie walks, runs, and obstacle courses (along with proms, protests, and pub crawls) are weekly events in cities across the United States.