North Carolina Paranormal

While different cultures and demographics have their own hot button topics, there are few so universally controversial as those falling into the purportedly "paranormal" realm. Whether it be an issue of a haunting, of a UFO, or of some unknown species, encounters and tales pertaining to the unnatural and unexplainable quickly become focuses of the media. Too often, those recounting these stories become demonized themselves. They can be publicly portrayed to be completely insane or, in a debatably more negative tone, completely desperate for attention.

So, in a world of technology where paranormal evidence (photo, video, and audio) is as easy to fake as it is come by, can there be any genuine, trustworthy accounts of the supernatural out there? When does an apparition become more than just the human brain trying to make sense out of chaos? And when is that strange light in your picture more than a reflection, the voice you recorded something besides a mechanical malfunction?

As a double major in English and Psychology in my junior year, I have become aware of several factors that can lead even the most sound of individuals to believe they've experienced something paranormal. Through my years of personal interest in strange phenomena, however, I have also come across instances that cannot be so easily explained.

Through the following weeks, I intend to visit some of the locations of paranormal activity around my home state. I will be on the look out for scientific and psychological explanations of these occurrences, while collecting my own audio and visual evidence for review. I will also share what I can find regarding the history of the locations, and -- with luck -- the origins of the tales surrounding them.