EVPs

EVP stands for electronic voice phenomena, a term used in paranormal research to describe audio fragments that are claimed to be voices of the deceased or other non-physical intelligences captured on electronic recording devices. EVPs are typically faint, ambiguous, and require careful listening or processing to reveal what is perceived as speech. They are most often discussed in the context of paranormal investigations, hauntings, and spiritual communication.

The phenomenon gained attention in the mid-20th century. Friedrich Jürgenson, in the late 1950s, recorded birds with a tape recorder and later claimed to hear voices on the playback. In the 1960s and 1970s, Konstantin Raudive expanded the field by recording thousands of hours of audio and publishing Breakthrough (1971). The term electronic voice phenomena came into use to describe these reports and remains common in paranormal circles.

Practices vary, but common methods involve field or studio recordings using tape or digital recorders, often with sessions conducted in quiet or nocturnal settings. Some investigators employ devices such as radio sweepers (spirit boxes) or noise generators, with multiple listeners attempting to confirm voices and transcribe statements. Analysts may apply filtering or spectral enhancement, though such processing can alter the original sound.

Evaluation: Mainstream science regards EVP as unproven and not reproducible. Explanations include misperception, auditory pareidolia, cognitive biases, and acoustic or electronic artifacts—such as radio interference, tape hiss, digitization, or processing artifacts. Critics argue that without controlled methods and independent replication, EVP claims cannot establish external communication or paranormal causation.