The Real "Exorcist"

Jesuit scholars discuss the 1949 exorcism that inspired the novel and film The Exorcist.

Saint Louis University junior Zach Grummer-Strawn has never seen "The Exorcist," the 1973 horror film considered one of the finest examples of unadulterated cinematic terror. He's only vaguely familiar with the monthlong 1949 demon-purging ritual at his school on which the film and William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel were based.

But just in time for Halloween, Jesuit scholars have joined a whole new generation of horror buffs in St. Louis to recount the supernatural incident. The university hosted a panel discussion Tuesday on the exorcism, which involved the treatment of an unidentified suburban Washington, D.C., boy. About 500 people crammed into Pius XII Library, with some spilling into the library aisles, leaning against pillars or sitting on desks. Read more

Obsessive Debunking Disorder: Are Paranormal Skeptics Brain Deficient?

Are hardcore "skeptics" actually brain deficient? Their own beloved "hard science" might suggest that many are, says Thomas Sheridan.

We have all encountered them. The men and women of 'reason'. The self-appointed guardians and vanguards of materialist dogma along with their absolute faith and belief in official government and corporate press releases. The debunker, the hardcore skeptic—how they love to compulsively ridicule and mock all they deem 'pseudoscience' and 'conspiracy theory'—while also declaring anyone who thinks outside the box or questions the prevailing orthodoxy, a "moron" and a "tard". Matters not how solid the evidence you present them with is, nor how flimsy their own state-sanctioned 'hard science' which they smugly offer up as their rebuttal; they are driven by a messianic compulsion to root out unscientific 'idiots' with all the zeal and fanaticism similar to that of a Dominican or Jesuit charging through southern France in the twelfth century seeking out 'heretics' for the burning. Irony does not even come into their myopic worldview—unless of course a government, corporate or university press office states this. Then it becomes an undisputed fact. Thanks to the likes of Richard Dawkins and Christoper Hitchens, these Internet-bound warriors of rationality see 'Creationists' and 'hidden Christians' around every corner and seek to root them out and expose them as part and parcel of their own peculiar secular witch hunt mentality. Read more

How to Cast a Revenge Spell

If you can't just let it go, here's how to cast a revenge spell.

Top Paranormal Videos of 2013... So Far

Paranormal Examiner discusses the top paranormal videos of 2013 so far.

So far this year there have been a lot of alleged paranormal encounters that were captured on video and then shared on the internet. One question is always wondered when photos and videos like these are presented. Are they real or fake? Read more

Men in Black Encounters: A Short Catalog

The Men in Black are a fascinating part of the UFO phenomenon. Gareth J. Medway has compiled a short catalog of MIB encounters.

The following list cannot be complete, but it does I think include all of the well-known cases, and many little-known ones. Obviously, nearly every entry should include the word ‘allegedly’ or ‘supposedly’, but I have generally omitted them as they would get too repetitive, though their presence should be assumed. References are to the particular editions of books that I have consulted – for clarification, John Keel’s Visitors from Space is the 1976 British edition of the work better known by its original title of The Mothman Prophecies. Suggestions for additions and amendments to this catalogue are welcome. Please send to pelicanist@rocketmail.com. Read more

10 People Who Claim to Be Monsters or Aliens

These ten people take eccentricity to another level: they claim to be monsters or aliens.

We all know that being human isn't easy, but being a mythical monster must really be challenging. Although the following people appear to look like human beings on the outside, they believe that they are really vampires, werewolves, or aliens. Some of them go about their lives peacefully, celebrating their uniqueness, but others turn dark and violent, blaming their crimes on their monster DNA. Read more

Spring-Heeled Jack In America

Spring-heeled Jack is a legendary figure in British folklore, but he appeares in American folklore too.

In the night the world reveals its second nature and weird things stir and start to wander. Strange shapes hide in architectural and unlit dead zones. As has been done for centuries, darkness reawakens terrible presences in those places. Whether a hedge, fence or row of abandoned buildings, whether a narrow winding path in a distant past or the alienating cityscape of today, it is the territory of the scare. Such a fright is Spring-heeled Jack. He was born out of similar surroundings almost two centuries ago, and this article chronicles its presence in America. Read more

3 Mind-Blowing Ramifications of Quantum Entanglement

Albert Einstein referred to quantum entanglement as "spooky action at a distance." If quantum entanglement exists - and experiments seem to confirm that it does - what are the ramifications?

The following is a highly speculative article about possible future uses of quantum entanglement. If overwrought speculation bothers you, we recommend you not read it. On the other hand, if you like imagining the dazzling potentialities of quantum theory, godspeed you black emperor! Read more

Parapsychologists Comment on the Current State of Psi Research

Author Robert McLuhan takes a trip to Swansea in Wales, for the annual conference of the Society for Psychical Research, and hears from parapsychologists about where the field is heading.

Manifesting Creatures of the Mind

Is some paranormal phenomena created by the human mind? The Philip Experiment suggests that it could be.

Many researchers of the paranormal (including myself) believe that some manifestations and poltergeist phenomena (objects flying through the air, doors slamming, etc.) are products of the human mind (tulpas or thought-form manifestation). To test that idea, a fascinating experiment was conducted in the early 1970s by the Toronto Society for Psychical Research (TSPR) to see if they could create a ghost. The idea was to assemble a group of people who would make up a completely fictional character and then, through séances, see if they could contact him, receive messages and other physical phenomena - perhaps even an apparition. Read more

Top 7 Haunted Places

If you're looking for a scare this Halloween season, Kami Garcia suggests visiting one of the top seven haunted places - just don't expect to see her there.

Lots of people like to go on ghost tours, especially around Halloween. Personally, I prefer un-ghost tours. Even though my new novel, "Unbreakable," follows a secret society of ghost hunters, I would never hang out in a haunted place. Did I mention that I'm superstitious and I believe in ghosts? However, I do enjoy researching and writing about them--the creepier the better. I even braved standing outside of Lilburn Mansion, one of the real haunted locations in "Unbreakable," to film a video about the book (which you can watch here). While you probably won't catch me near any other places that could end up on "Ghost Hunters" any time soon, feel free to create your own cross-country ghost tour by checking out my Top 7 Haunted Places. Just don't expect me to join you. Read more