ghosts

Ghosts are reports or beliefs about non-physical presences of the dead. In many cultures, the term encompasses a range of ideas—from an incorporeal soul that survives death to a lingering impression of a person’s personality or emotions. Ghosts appear in folklore, religious traditions, literature, and popular culture, with interpretations that vary across societies and historical periods.

In folklore and stories, ghosts are often linked to unfinished business, moral judgments, or acts of vengeance or protection. Common motifs include apparitions, eerie sounds, cold spots, or objects moving on their own. Ancestral or household ghosts may be honored or appeased through ritual practices in some cultures.

From a scientific and skeptical standpoint, there is no widely accepted evidence that ghosts exist as autonomous beings. Reported encounters are usually explained by cognitive and perceptual factors, such as pareidolia, memory distortions, sleep-related phenomena, or environmental conditions like infrasound and electromagnetic fields, which can influence perception or mood.

Culturally, the idea of ghosts continues to shape art, film, architecture, and tourism, as well as moral and spiritual discourse. Terminology varies by culture, including terms such as spirits, shades, revenants, or poltergeists. While belief in ghosts remains widespread in many communities, scientific and skeptical perspectives emphasize natural explanations over supernatural ones.