Rapping Acoustics - Paper Published

The detailed analysis of unexplained rapping sounds has been published in the July 2010 edition of the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research (Click here for a copy of the paper). Normal rapping sounds were compared with similar sounds recorded at various poltergeist cases covering a twenty year period (1960-2000). In some cases the unexplained raps and the normal raps were recorded at the same time and place. The article describes a fundamental difference between normal rapping sounds (generated by the impact of one hard object on another, for example a teaspoon hitting a wine glass), and rapping sounds recorded during apparent poltergeist activity. In the latter series of cases the maximum amplitude of the sound did not occur immediately. The sound built up to a maximum. This is quite unlike normally-produced rapping sounds which always reach their maximum amplitude within a very short space of time.

The paper covers this effect in some detail and the author likens it to the audio waveform experienced during an earthquake. There is some evidence to suppose that the unexplained raps result from an increase in pressure within an inanimate object - leading to a sudden release of pressure, with an accompanying rap. The reason for the increasing pressure is not given.

Joint PA/SPR Conference (2008)

The 2008 joint conference held at the University of Winchester proved to be particularly successful, according to the vast majority of delegates in attendance. For the Parapsychological Association (PA), this was their 51st convention and was combined with the 32nd annual convention of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR).

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New Theory Published

A new theory has been proposed to account for poltergeist activity. The Italian authors suggest that a decrease in the strength of molecular bonds may account for some of the phenomena reported in poltergeist cases.

P.Brovetto and V.Maxia point out that at least four kinds of strange spontaneous manifestations are reported during poltergeist activity. These are the burning of materials, the failure of electrical equipment, rapping noises and the movement of objects. The authors speculate that these effects might have a common origin, namely the reduction in strength of molecular bonds. They suggest that an enhancement in polarization of vacuum would lead to a decrease in electron charge. This would arise as a result of brain activity in a pubescent child affecting the electron charge in keeping with Prigogine's nonequilibrium thermodynamics. The full article can be found in NeuroQuantology Journal, 2008 Vol.6, No:2.

Press Cuttings

We have recently signed up to Meltwater News in an effort to become aware of possible poltergeist cases at an early stage of their development.

It is clearly important to visit live cases as early as possible in the their development. A daily scan of all press cuttings and web coverage of poltergeist and ghost phenomena are sent to us by Meltwater, ready to be followed up in an effort to determine whether they are suitable for further investigation. Press cuttings which are not necessarily suitable for this intended purpose have been found to be useful to those members of the SPR with a general interest in ghosts and recurrent sightings of apparitions.

Acoustic Analysis

The PRG has recently undertaken a research project to evaluate the detailed acoustic properties of paranormally-induced rapping sounds.
There is significant evidence in the literature to indicate that rapping sounds produced at poltergeist outbreaks are fundamentally different to those produced by normal means. More specifically, it has been claimed that the acoustic waveform of paranormal raps, particularly those which exclude high frequency components, show a gradually increasing amplitude rather than the normal and sudden high amplitude trace associated with normal rapping sounds.

This assertion has been put to the test by evaluating ostensibly paranormal raps from ten poltergeist cases covering the forty year period from 1960 (Sauchie case) to 2000 (Euston Square case). The cases derive from various countries including England, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland and Brazil.

Normal Rap Waveform

Andover Rap