Think you see ghosts? You could be breathing bad air

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Thursday, April 2, 2015, 5:28 PM - There's been a lot of bizarre stories floating around the internet this week due to April fools' day, and this one gave us pause for thought. But apparently, it is legitimate.

A new study out of Clarkson University suggests that reports of house hauntings could be the result of poor indoor air quality.

Shane Rogers, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Clarkson, says many of the people who have reported ghosts sightings exhibit similar neurological symptoms as people who have been exposed to toxic moulds.

Some species of mould, like rye ergot fungus, have been known to cause psychosis and hallucinations.

"Hauntings are very widely reported phenomena that are not well-researched," Rogers said in a statement.

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"They are often reported in older-built structures that may also suffer poor air quality. Similarly, some people have reported depression, anxiety and other effects from exposure to biological pollutants in indoor air. We are trying to determine whether some reported hauntings may be linked to specific pollutants found in indoor air."

Rogers' research team is working to measure the air quality in several buildings that are allegedly haunted.

"What I do hope is that we can provide some real clues as to what may lead to some of these phenomena and possibly help people in the process," Rogers added.

The team will be collecting data around northern New York this spring and summer. The findings will be published at the end of the study.

Source: Clarkson University

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