Ghostly rapping can't be faked, research shows

THEY are unexplained phenomena that have baffled scientists and sent chills down the spines of unwitting bystanders.

But the eerie knocking sounds allegedly made by poltergeists could not be made any other way, according to new research.

A lecture taking place this week at the University of Glasgow will present evidence for a strange audio pattern common to paranormal incidents.

Dr Barrie Colvin, a polyurethane technologist who carries out experimental psychical research, has analysed the audio recordings of several notorious spectral cases, and believes they share similar acoustic qualities to an earthquake.

As part of his research, he scrutinised the sounds made during one of Scotland's most famous alleged poltergeist episodes, in which a schoolgirl from Clackmannanshire was apparently surrounded by a series of loud knocking sounds and moving furniture.

Psychology experts have welcomed Colvin's "interesting observations" but stressed that while they cannot be readily dismissed, nor do they offer conclusive proof of ghostly activity.

As part of Colvin's study, he submitted several recordings for analysis to Brel & Kjr, world leaders in sound and vibration measurement, as well as using Adobe Audition software to examine digital evaluations of the sound waves.

He then compared them to recordings of rapping sounds made in ordinary ways, such as a teaspoon hitting a wine glass or knuckles hitting a wall.

While the resultant noises appeared similar, he discovered the alleged poltergeist recordings have sound signatures which, so far, remain unexplained and cannot be reproduced.

He found that while the sound of a normal rapping noise is loudest at the start and fades over a period of milliseconds, the paranormal rapping starts relatively quietly before becoming loud and then fading away, similar to the audio waveform of an earthquake.