Nocturnal Ghosts

[forester]

This has probably been raised in the past but here goes...

Why do ghosts only come out at night?
It's perhaps better to ask "Why do TV shows dealing with spirits always film at night?"

We've all seen photos claiming to be pictures of ghosts or other apparitions but in my own personal experience just as many are taken in well lit areas than are in the dark. Though a huge amount are fakes or simply people not understanding what they're actually looking at fact remains there's still a number which are a little bit odd. I.e. There remains a handfull even experts struggle to explain.

So anyway getting back on topic, given what little pottential evidence there is it seems there's very little to suggest ghosts prefer the dark. The only reason there'd be more reportings at night is because some people are scared of the dark, their imaginations take over and shapes in the dark take on new form.

Given this why are all the investigations on TV conducted in the dark, surely better footage would be obtained in light. In fact they even go through the effort of ensuring all the lights in a building are off.

Now surely it can't be because ghosts are sensitive to photons because the shows make extensive use of light outside our visual spectrum. It can't be electical interference because of all the cameras, torches, and other gear in use. Let's also not forget the emf in the electrical wiring of the building. It can't be because the ghosts don't want to be seen because why would they want to hide, and if they care about being seen they'd choose not to show themselves.

Even teams like TAPS on Ghost Hunters conduct their investigations in the dark, a team we expect to conduct investigations in order to find genuine evidence and be honest in what they do.

So can someone please explain why other than it being naturally spookier to the easily scared why investigations take place in the dark?

[ellab1]

Ghosts are really vampires?

[miss fairymarymermaid]

i think its because people are often more scared at night so it leaves their mind going crazy! They think they see things as they are nervous and on edge! Its all about the power of suggesetion i think. If i was out somewhere at night and someone told me it was haunted, i would be scared and think i see things! But there is nothing there! The things in my head get confused. (It happens in the day time too!)

[Kim]

We do both, lights and low light. The only aid to the darkness that I can see is our sense of hearing!

MH and other programs are quite rightly said use this method for effect, and nothing else!

The eyes play tricks in the dark which doesn't aid an investigation....I have taken a post from our forum explaining low light problems

Posted by Paddy in our core team


From a topic about seeing things through the corner of your eye - something that is quite common on investigation.

'Your high light level vision is conducted by your cone sensor cells, and these see in colour. These have a super quick adaptation time, are directionally sensitive and have a high concentration in the centre of the eye (although are present all over). These have a high spacial awareness (ie they are used to focus on an object).

Your low level light vision is conducted by your rod cells, these have little to no colour capability. These take a minimum of 30mins to adapt to sudden changes in light conditions. They are not directionally sensitive (ie they only see straight along their vector). These are not present at all in the centre of the eye, but are extremely numerous through-out the obtuse angles - meaning they see out of the sides of your eye (peripheral vision). They are many times more sensitive than cone cells and superb at detecting movements. These have a very low spacial awareness (ie cannot focus)

This gives rise to the fact that it is very difficult to focus directly on anything in low-light level conditions, while your peripheral vision becomes super-sensitive. So if a moth flew past, you would immediately detect movement but not be able to see it when you turn to look right at it. This could explain the 'corner of eye' phenomenon. Also your night vision rod cells are so sensitive that they can be activated by just a single photon (the particals that we call light), and the brain can perceive a responce when as little as 10 rods are activated! This means that you may perceive something that really isn't there - the photons may be strays from several miles away.

So to sum-up: Your eyes are actually more sensitive at night than they are during the day and have a higher resolution, but are unable to focus or perceive true colour.
A good analagy - they are a 1mp camera correctly focused during the day, and a 12mp camera that is unfocused at night.

I hope this is understandable to people
P'

[Deleted]

I asked the same question whilst on an investigation. I was told it was because street noise etc is much reduced and therefore there are less distractions.

[shazzz]

we do ours at night, because of the street noise etc. Its lit quieter at 2 am then it is at 5pm

[noddy]

They don't there is no such thing as a ghost!

[oddjack]

The lack of sound and mortal activity seem valid. But I seem to remember the GH guys saying at some point in the first season that it has been shown that ghost are more active and easier to find in the dark. The kind of bugs me when you think the MH people say the same.

Turning the lights off may have some effects. But the one I can guarantee is that is tmakes things more spooky (Activate torches/flashlights and put them under your chins...NOW!). Good TV. Also it cuts back severely on one your, and the most critical for this work, senses -- vision. And I still ponder how the guys on GH see shadows moving around in the dark. Eyes play tricks, and add odd places, strange sounds, AND darkness... It just seems you are tying your hands.


If you don't find things as ominous, and find less strange things when the lights on...does that mean all those things are cooling their heels til the lights are off? Or could it mean your mind isn't been given the same fodder to mess with you? It just seems one is more likely than another.

[noddy]

So when the human eye is strained in the dark we have other lifeforms roaming around at night well its beyond our natural conception. Well all I can say is if there are lifeforms at night they cannot be ghosts because they don't exist once dead thats it your off, game over. In my humble opinion of course, after thousands of years one would expect some solid proof not utter rubbish on the television purely for viewing figures, which again revolves around financial gain. Well thats sums it up really.

[Kim]

Well all I can say is if there are lifeforms at night they cannot be ghosts because they don't exist once dead thats it your off, game over.

You are disputing ghosts but are happy enough to believe there maybe something else? As you use IF in your statement! Which shows reasonable doubt!

What other life forms are you suggesting there is Noddy?

[RidingWithTheAngels]

That'll be one of your pixies Kim

[imapotato]

Night takes away our sense of vision

We see things that aren't really 'things', so our brain tries to justify using experience.

So...if one believes in ghosts...then that is what you will think you saw, or heard

Most of us though, are very uncomfortable in the dark...so it makes even a die hard skeptic uneasy

cold spots are also more readily 'available' in the dark

Plus, with TV...it provokes your human fear of darkness....which is totally evolutionary. We evolved always being afraid of the dark, because before we became the Apex predator...we were hunted at night