How The Northern Lights Could Have Fuelled Paranormal Activity

Over the weekend, sky gazers across the UK were treated to the spectacular sight of the Northern Lights, a rare sight in the skies above most of Britain. The stunning visuals not only caught the imagination of those who saw them, but also sparked discussions in the paranormal community. Some ghost hunters believed that the celestial displays could have heightened paranormal activity during this time.

This theory stems from a common belief among paranormal researchers that ghosts draw energy from their surroundings to manifest or interact with the physical world. This energy is often thought to come from electrical sources, human emotions, or environmental factors. Therefore, an event as powerful as the aurora borealis might provide just such a boost.

The Northern Lights are caused by solar flares, which are eruptions of charged particles from the Sun. These energetic solar winds interact with the Earth's magnetosphere, resulting in vibrant displays. This influx of solar energy is believed by some to potentially affect levels of paranormal activity.

Various cultures have their own interpretations of the Northern Lights, often attributing supernatural significance to them. For example, in some indigenous cultures in North America, the Northern Lights are believed to be the spirits of ancestors playing in the sky. In Norse mythology, the lights are thought to be reflections from the shields and armour of the Valkyries, the warrior maidens who escort fallen soldiers to Valhalla.

While it is true that solar flares do indeed bring significant amounts of energy to Earth, it's important to understand what kind of energy we're talking about and how it interacts when it gets here, after all, we are bombarded by plenty of energy from the Sun in the form of heat every day. If we suspect that solar flares can increase ghostly goings on, then shouldn't we consider the fact that the same is true of sunlight?

Thermal energy from the sun primarily arrives in the form of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. Of course, we know this is a pretty powerful source of energy. So it could be argued that a sunny day has as much impact on ghosts as solar flares. The energy from solar flares and the solar wind is more intense but are intermittent, intense bursts that are less continuous than sunlight. It is also quite different from the thermal and light energy provided by the sun during the day. A sunny day delivers energy mainly as visible light and heat, whereas solar flares can bombard the Earth with radio waves, gamma radiation, and X-ray radiation.

The idea that ghosts can harness energy from the environment is speculative. Even if we assume that paranormal entities can draw on ambient energy, there's nothing to suggest that the type of energy delivered by solar flares would be suitable. For instance, when considering radio waves, ghostly activity doesn't seem to increase if walkie-talkies are used during an investigation.

However, we do know that the energy carried by solar flares is less accessible to paranormal entities. Upon arriving at Earth, the energy of solar flares is mostly absorbed by the upper atmosphere, where the light display is seen, and does not directly affect surface conditions like sunlight does. Therefore, while the energy of solar flares is vast, their accessibility to any paranormal forces at ground level would likely be minimal.

Something else to consider is that while sightings of the Northern Lights are rare across the UK, they are frequently witnessed in high-latitude regions near the Arctic Circle. Countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and parts of Russia often experience these spectacular light displays. So shouldn't this mean that reports of ghosts are higher in these places? Many of these regions do have rich traditions of folklore and supernatural tales, but there is nothing to suggest that these areas experience more paranormal activity due to the auroras.

Of course, any link between sightings of ghosts and the Northern Lights could be explained through more down-to-earth causes. The awe-inspiring nature of these celestial displays could psychologically prime individuals to be more open to paranormal experiences. The excitement and heightened emotional state might lead to more reports of ghost sightings, not because of increased paranormal activity but due to heightened human perception and imagination. This doesn't necessarily mean there's more ghostly activity, rather, it could suggest that people are more attuned to their surroundings and more susceptible to interpreting ambiguous stimuli as paranormal.

It could also be that solar flares are causing some of the devices typically used by ghost hunters to false-trigger, the most susceptible to this would be the REM-Pod. REM-Pods, or Radiating EM Proximity Detectors, create a static electromagnetic field around themselves and are designed to detect disturbances within this field. Considering solar flares can disrupt satellites, radio communications, and even ground-based electrical systems due to the intense bursts of electromagnetic energy and charged particles they emit, it's plausible that they could cause false triggers in devices like REM-Pods.

Similarly, other ghost hunting equipment like EMF (Electromagnetic Field) meters, which are used to detect changes in electromagnetic fields, might also be susceptible to fluctuations caused by solar flares. Devices that rely on sensitive electronics or radio frequencies could experience anomalies or operational issues during periods of intense solar activity.

There's one final thought to consider... Might people see more ghosts when the Northern Lights are visible in the sky because the ghosts come out to watch the spectacle too? Many stories about ghosts describe them as exhibiting behaviours similar to those they had in life. These include walking familiar paths, visiting loved ones, and even partaking in activities they once enjoyed. If we entertain the idea that spirits retain some level of consciousness and curiosity, it's conceivable that they might be as intrigued by the Northern Lights as we were at the weekend.