When most people hear a door slamming or footsteps around their home, they’ll more than likely attribute it to an old house settling, the wind blowing or the machinations of an overactive mind. But sometimes these unexplainable events just may be the cause of something from beyond the grave.
To help solve these mysteries, Loyd Auerbach, (aka Professor Paranormal), will be talking about his experience in the field of parapsychology and all things paranormal.
Auerbach grew up interested in the paranormal and cites comic books and science fiction as part of what has influenced him throughout the years. Having written several books as well as obtaining a post-graduate education in parapsychology and the paranormal, Auerbach’s upcoming speech will attempt to explain what he referred to as the incredible mysteries that happen to human being.
“The question in parapsychology is what is really going on and how can we solve it,” Auerbach said. “The main goal is to help the living (and) to explain what is going on.”
Although not everyone is quick to believe Auerbach and his investigations, he is often able to help families become content with their ghost after they understand what is going on.
“Most cases are successful,” Auerbach said. “We don’t have many cases where we leave the family in fear.”
The fear factor often attributed to ghosts and the idea that they are not wanted around is not necessarily true and very media driven.
“The media drives up the fear of ghosts, which is very unfortunate,” Auerbach said. “Ghost experiences suggest that there is life after death, which is a positive thing.”
The media is not only a driving factor of fear, but of false ghost hunts. Auerbach has actually had some of his own facts changed by producers for the sake of entertainment.
“Never take what you see on television as realistic,” Auerbach said. “It often is portraying what’s done by amateur groups who don’t know any better. During an investigation, you don’t turn off the lights. If you turn off the lights, your observational skills are greatly reduced.”
Auerbach said that sometimes 30 to 40 hours of documented work can be cut down into an eight-minute television segment.
During his lecture, Auerbach will be presenting photo, video and audio evidence, and will also discuss how his field work and investigations are done from a scientific point of view. He will also be discussing some of his more memorable cases.
“One of the cases felt like I had a friendship with the ghost,” Auerbach said. “She had walked through me several times.”
The ghost he speaks of has allegedly shown up at a few events, and a few of Auerbach’s friends have contacted him on behalf of the ghost.
Bringing Auerbach to campus is NMU’s own Paranormal Research Team, which has been investigating alleged local apparitions and notifying the public of their findings since 2004.
“We feel it is our duty to inform the public of paranormal activity that is going on,” said PRT Chairman, Matt Kohls.
The PRT does what they can to get involved with the community; from the haunted tours they provide every October to full on investigations they do with fellow team members using their full range of technology. They take a very down to earth approach when trying to prove why a place isn’t haunted.
“Most of the equipment we get ourselves,” Kohls said. “Most of our funding comes from our haunted tours.”
An Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detector is a piece of technology often used by the PRT.
“What that is able to do is find these magnetic fields, and that’s used to figure out if a place is not haunted,” Kohls said. “The symptoms people feel in magnetic fields are the same from a haunting.”
Also used are four infrared cameras hooked up to a DVR system, digital cameras and any kind of voice recorder, although there is some debate on whether digital or tape is better because the tapes are magnetic. “We’ve gotten clear EVP’s from both,” Kohls said.
“We base all our findings on things that can be measured. We try to take a very scientific approach,” Kohls said. “It’s really nice to have a team, because if you can’t think of something, someone else might be able to. It’s like the saying, ‘When you eliminate the impossible, whatever’s left must be the truth.’”
As a result from many investigations the group has come across several apparitions, occasionally getting recorded electronic voice phenomenon (EVP). The PRT has recorded events of everything from ghosts saying the names of those present, to where a ghost has gone so far as to physically interact with the people involved.
“It shocks you. You get excited,” Kohls said. “It’s really fun to get clear EVP’s.”
Even though one might think that there are only so many places to investigate here in Marquette, the team doesn’t appear to be having any shortages on places that people are curious about.
“We try to investigate a few times a semester and also try to do one or two training investigations for new members and to keep up current members skills,” Kohls said.
The team has investigated many local mysteries including the Landmark Inn and NMU’s own Thomas Fine Arts building, where in the 1980’s, a janitor named Perry had a heart attack in the elevator. The PRT has also traveled as far as Whitefish to conduct investigations.
The PRT doesn’t just investigate and inform people of the paranormal; every year the group brings a speaker to campus. This year, they are proud to present Loyd Auerbach as Professor Paranormal.
The lecture will take place Friday, March 26,at 7 p.m. in Jamrich 102 and is free of charge. Students should come prepared with any questions they might have.
