George Noory welcomed folklorist, historian, and paranormal researcher Rissa Miller for a conversation on ghosts and the nature of hauntings. Miller recounted that her lifelong fascination with the paranormal began at age eight, when she saw the ghost of Marmaduke Buckle in a restaurant in York, England. Rather than feeling fear, she felt empathy for the young man's profound sadness and became deeply curious about his story. Learning that he had taken his own life in the early 1700s transformed the experience into a turning point, sparking her interest in hauntings and a passion for history. The emotional imprint of a life is central to understanding why certain spirits linger, she noted.
Miller emphasized that hauntings are often tied to strong emotion, especially grief and trauma, which she believes leave energetic scars on places. She distinguished between residual hauntings, characterized by repetitive echoes of past events, and intelligent spirits that appear aware and interactive. She argued that ghosts are not confined to nighttime or old buildings, but are more likely to be noticed in liminal or threshold spaces such as staircases, bridges, hotels, and historic towns. According to Miller, tragic locations like Gettysburg retain collective emotional memory, and cemeteries reflect the grief of the living as much as the presence of the dead.
Miller maintained that most spirits are neutral or even playful rather than malevolent. She suggested that children and open-minded individuals may be more likely to perceive paranormal activity because they are less constrained by rational skepticism. Drawing on her years as a ghost tour guide, Miller pointed out that many people privately share their unexplained experiences, seeking validation rather than dismissal. Throughout her encounters with strange phenomena, Miller admitted she has rarely felt fear and, in fact, feels safer with spirits than with many living people.
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Open Lines followed in the latter half of the program. Dee from Virginia expressed deep fear that artificial intelligence (AI) is rooted in supernatural, dark spiritual forces and was created using knowledge drawn from the dark side. She argued that AI's self-learning ability makes it superhuman and dangerously manipulative, capable of seducing people by promising convenience and relief from responsibility. According to Dee, this allure will ultimately lead to widespread control and enslavement, aligning with her end-times view in which AI becomes a primary tool of the Antichrist to dominate humanity.
Mike from Fairbanks shared two remarkable stories about gold nuggets from California. He described the 156-ounce Mojave Nugget, discovered in 1977 by prospector Ty Paulson near Randsburg with a metal detector just six inches below the surface, noting its dramatic increase in value from about $24,000 at the time to potentially over $1.6 million today. He also recounted the 201-ounce Fricot Nugget, found 200 feet underground in El Dorado County during the Gold Rush era, later purchased for $3,500, lost for decades, and eventually rediscovered and put on display in a museum.
Greg from Remsen, New York, phoned in with a cautionary ghost tale from the horse-and-buggy era, when riders believed a floating Casper-like ghost along a roadside caused a fatal accident, leaving the area feared and avoided for years. Later, a man investigated the supposed apparition and discovered it was merely a shaggy dog that had startled the horses. Greg noted that people should carefully investigate ghost stories, as seemingly supernatural events may have ordinary explanations.
The final half hour featured a replay of ghost whisperer Mary Ann Winkowski discussing her work communicating with spirits.
News segment guests: Heidi Hollis / Kevin Randle