In the Spirit of Science: Hallucinations? Or Ghosts of Christmas Past?

“Why do you doubt your senses?”
“Because,” said Scrooge, “a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato.”

Ebenezer Scrooge tries to explain away Marley’s ghost as simple indigestion, but do we have evidence that ghostly encounters are just hallucinations – tricks of the mind? Join Dan, Matilda and Dr. Lee for a deep dive into potential ways our minds and bodies can play tricks on us – or not. We’ll also look more closely at the pagan and spiritualist origins of our holiday traditions as we close out 2023.

In the Spirit of Science is a monthly video podcast on topics related to ongoing paranormal research at the Merchant’s House. Using the scientific method, with unbiased observation and systematic experimentation, this research is building a better understanding of the strange and fascinating phenomena experienced by staff, volunteers, and visitors at “Manhattan’s Most Haunted House” (The New York Times).

The research project and monthly virtual programs are led by neuroscientist Dr. Lee, thanatologist and MHM volunteer Matilda Garrido, and Dan Sturges, founder of Sturges Paranormal, who appears on the Travel Channel’s weekly series, Paranormal Caught on Camera.