In the first half, Dave Schrader (email) was joined by associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Clarkson University, Shane Rogers, for a discussion on his research into the possibility that ghostly apparitions in old buildings may be caused by pollutants found in the air. Rogers described the time he thought he saw a reflection of light on the wall and realized the light was actually out in the room. He said he saw the light many times and wondered if it was caused by environmental issues in the house.
According to Rogers, all molds can elicit negative health reactions, such as allergies, asthma, and sinusitis. Some molds produce volatile organic compounds which at high concentrations can affect the central nervous system and induce headaches, dizziness, and inability to concentrate, he explained. Another kind of mold creates toxic compounds. "There's emerging evidence out there suggesting that exposure to molds, like Stachybotrys, can cause problems related to mild brain inflammation, they can induce cognitive deficit, memory loss, [and] emotional problems such as anxiety and fear," he said. Though not all haunting activity can be ascribed to mold, certain individuals with constant mold exposure and a history of anxiety, confusion, or irrational fear, may rationalize the feelings they have and credit some unusual occurrence to a ghost, Rogers suggested.
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In the latter half, psychologist Dr. Andrew Nichols talked about his extensive career investigating over 600 cases of ghosts, hauntings and poltergeists as well as telepathy, precognition, and paranormal dream experiences. Nichols outlined three factors that make poltergeist cases different from conventional hauntings. Poltergeist activity is physical, involving movement of objects or percussive sounds, person-oriented rather than place-oriented, and rarely lasts longer than six months, he explained. In virtually every poltergeist case the focal person or agent has temporal lobe liability (micro-seizures in brain), Nichols said, adding that this condition can be an indicator of psychic abilities.
Nichols shared an extraordinary case he investigated involving Type 2 poltergeist phenomena in the home of physician, his wife, and their son. "Large pieces of furniture would move around, objects would be stacked... bottles in the cabinets in the laundry room turned upside down balanced on their caps, a 150-pound grandfather clock that would turn itself completely around," Nichols reported. Two-way messages between the family and entity took place via messages written on a dry erase board, he revealed. Nichols also joined the conversation with Shane Rogers in the second hour to comment on environmental influences on supposed supernatural experiences as well as the lack of scientific research into the life after death.