Comments on: Photo evidence of ectoplasm and ghost orbs http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/ Skepticism. Critical thinking. Podcast. Community. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 08:04:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Andy Kaiser http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-4609 Andy Kaiser Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:56:25 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-4609 <p>Laura,</p> <p>><span style="line-height: 22px; color: #333333; "> in one of the photos there are more than 1 face showing up in the rocks.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Please send me the picture. I'd like to see this. If you're comfortable, I'll post it here for everyone to see. If not, you and I can have a private discussion about it.</span></span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">> Any orbs could be attributed to moisture, but not a clearly defined face.</span></span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">On  a related note, what do you think about those people who think they see a picture of Jesus on (for example) a piece of toast, or in the mold on the bark on a tree? </span></span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">This is a common occurrence called <a href="../../../11/04/apophenia-definition-and-analysis/" rel="nofollow">apophenia</a>. Humans are pattern-seeking animals. It's what allows us to recognize a face, or the letters on your keyboard. Sometimes our pattern recognition gets tricked, because we see a random visual that closely matches a known pattern. This is a very basic optical illusion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">And in the case of photos (including when the photographer is sure they didn't see the "face" until after the photo is developed), this adds another layer to the troubleshooting, because of flaws and artifacts from the camera and lens technology.</span></span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">My point: I think the above possibilities I mentioned are more likely than someone actually having photographed something supernatural. Those should be ruled out before assuming you took a photo of a ghost.</span></span></p> <p><span style="line-height: 22px;">Andy</span></p> Laura,

> in one of the photos there are more than 1 face showing up in the rocks.

Please send me the picture. I’d like to see this. If you’re comfortable, I’ll post it here for everyone to see. If not, you and I can have a private discussion about it.

> Any orbs could be attributed to moisture, but not a clearly defined face.

On  a related note, what do you think about those people who think they see a picture of Jesus on (for example) a piece of toast, or in the mold on the bark on a tree?

This is a common occurrence called apophenia. Humans are pattern-seeking animals. It’s what allows us to recognize a face, or the letters on your keyboard. Sometimes our pattern recognition gets tricked, because we see a random visual that closely matches a known pattern. This is a very basic optical illusion.

And in the case of photos (including when the photographer is sure they didn’t see the “face” until after the photo is developed), this adds another layer to the troubleshooting, because of flaws and artifacts from the camera and lens technology.

My point: I think the above possibilities I mentioned are more likely than someone actually having photographed something supernatural. Those should be ruled out before assuming you took a photo of a ghost.

Andy

]]> By: Laura http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-4608 Laura Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:33:42 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-4608 Don't know if all of this orb stuff is for real. I believe there are ghost or spirits and alot we can't explain. I visited Niagara Falls, had taken alot of photos and in one of the photos there are more than 1 face showing up in the rocks. I am not making this up. Any orbs could be attributed to moisture, but not a clearly defined face. When I realized this it freaked me out, because I thought I was alone when I took that photo and someone was looking back at me. I never even knew about the orb stuff until a few weeks ago. Who is to say that there isn't more going on that we just don't know about. Just my 2 cents. Don’t know if all of this orb stuff is for real. I believe there are ghost or spirits and alot we can’t explain. I visited Niagara Falls, had taken alot of photos and in one of the photos there are more than 1 face showing up in the rocks. I am not making this up. Any orbs could be attributed to moisture, but not a clearly defined face. When I realized this it freaked me out, because I thought I was alone when I took that photo and someone was looking back at me. I never even knew about the orb stuff until a few weeks ago. Who is to say that there isn’t more going on that we just don’t know about. Just my 2 cents.

]]> By: Nick of CriticalCritique.Com http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-226 Nick of CriticalCritique.Com Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:28:03 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-226 Nice satire... LOL! ;-D Nice satire… LOL! ;-D

]]> By: DB Skeptic http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-215 DB Skeptic Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:35:01 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-215 Hi John, Good point (though I'd personally disagree with you on the percentages). However, if you're going to fill in the blank and say "this little understood event was caused by X", you'd better make sure that X makes sense itself, and that there aren't better alternatives like Y and Z. Specifically in this case, are you sure that ghost orbs (X) is the answer, and not just light spots on a camera lens (Y), or the photographer was actually lying (Z)? Because in this case, <a href="http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/12/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs-explained/" rel="nofollow">Y and Z are the correct answers.</a> Hi John,

Good point (though I’d personally disagree with you on the percentages). However, if you’re going to fill in the blank and say “this little understood event was caused by X”, you’d better make sure that X makes sense itself, and that there aren’t better alternatives like Y and Z.

Specifically in this case, are you sure that ghost orbs (X) is the answer, and not just light spots on a camera lens (Y), or the photographer was actually lying (Z)? Because in this case, Y and Z are the correct answers.

]]> By: John Campa http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-213 John Campa Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:40:37 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-213 Man probably understand about .01% of our own world and probably about .00000000000000000000000000000000000001% of the universe. There is a lot more that is "unexplained" than what is "explained" and accurately supported. Man probably understand about .01% of our own world and probably about .00000000000000000000000000000000000001% of the universe.

There is a lot more that is “unexplained” than what is “explained” and accurately supported.

]]> By: alchobot http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-179 alchobot Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:19:05 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-179 water vapour - I've been interested in anomalies since a teenager in the 70's, the biggest problem is we want to believe but I can say personaly on seeing one thing which made me go hmm but no recorded eveidence so anyone could say i was daylight dreaming which I admit I have done water vapour – I’ve been interested in anomalies since a teenager in the 70′s, the biggest problem is we want to believe but I can say personaly on seeing one thing which made me go hmm but no recorded eveidence so anyone could say i was daylight dreaming which I admit I have done

]]> By: DB Skeptic http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-119 DB Skeptic Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:11:08 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-119 Light reflecting on the lens?! Absolutely not! It was ectoplasm. Right in front of my face. <a href="http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/12/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs-explained/" rel="nofollow">I can't think of any other explanation.</a> Light reflecting on the lens?! Absolutely not! It was ectoplasm. Right in front of my face.

I can’t think of any other explanation.

]]> By: Simon http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-118 Simon Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:08:48 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-118 What what what are you going on about! You are joking right.....lol. Clearly its the light reflecting on the lens!? What what what are you going on about! You are joking right…..lol. Clearly its the light reflecting on the lens!?

]]> By: James Randi http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-13 James Randi Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:34:04 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-13 While I appreciate the kind kudos from Sandra L H, I must correct her. First, it's "Geller," not "Gellar"; always call the Devil by his oldest name. (From the novel by Sallie Bissell) The spoons supplied to Uri Geller on the Tonight show were not at all special, being exactly what he'd requested, except that he was not allowed access to them before the program, though his assistant Shipi Shtrang attempted to "examine" them... And I agree with Sandra that the best, ever, discrediting hoax was the Sokal affair. You should look that up! While I appreciate the kind kudos from Sandra L H, I must correct her. First, it’s “Geller,” not “Gellar”; always call the Devil by his oldest name. (From the novel by Sallie Bissell) The spoons supplied to Uri Geller on the Tonight show were not at all special, being exactly what he’d requested, except that he was not allowed access to them before the program, though his assistant Shipi Shtrang attempted to “examine” them… And I agree with Sandra that the best, ever, discrediting hoax was the Sokal affair. You should look that up!

]]> By: DB Skeptic http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/comment-page-1/#comment-6 DB Skeptic Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:44:44 +0000 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/02/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs/#comment-6 "<i>Sometimes I think the best way to debunk some of this nonsense is to do it yourself"</i> Quite true. And it's even more fun when you're the one with the original claim: here's the <a href="http://www.dbskeptic.com/2007/12/12/photo-evidence-of-ectoplasm-and-ghost-orbs-explained/" rel="nofollow">analysis and debunk of the photo evidence of ectoplasm and ghost orbs</a>. “Sometimes I think the best way to debunk some of this nonsense is to do it yourself”

Quite true. And it’s even more fun when you’re the one with the original claim: here’s the analysis and debunk of the photo evidence of ectoplasm and ghost orbs.

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