Raudive

Raudive, also known as Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), refers to the recording of anomalous sounds or voices that are not attributable to any known source, such as radio transmissions, ambient noise, or the recording equipment itself. The phenomenon is named after the Latvian parapsychologist Friedrich Jürgenson, who first reported widespread findings in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Jürgenson's initial investigations involved recording bird songs. He claimed to have discovered disembodied voices, often speaking in a language he did not understand, embedded within these recordings. He believed these to be the voices of the deceased communicating from another dimension. His work was later continued and popularized by Raymond Bayliss and Hans Bender, and notably by Konstantin Raudive, a Lithuanian-German parapsychologist, after whom the phenomenon is commonly named. Raudive published a book titled "Breakthrough: An Amazing Experience with the Spirit World Recorded on Tape" in 1968.

Skeptics often attribute EVP to various mundane explanations, including radio interference, random noise fluctuations, pareidolia (the psychological phenomenon where the mind perceives a familiar pattern where none exists), and artifacts of the recording or playback process. Despite extensive research and anecdotal evidence from enthusiasts and investigators, the existence and origin of EVP remain unproven and are not recognized by mainstream science. The practice of EVP investigation continues within paranormal communities.