The Forum [is where Ancient Roman skeptics hang out.]

Current User: Guest Login Register
Please consider registering


Lost Your Password?

S04E06: Ghosts of Menengai Crater/Kalanoro

Reply to Post
UserPost

9:43 am
December 2, 2010


Nosfer

Rotaredom

Moderator

posts 2954

The team heard it real-time.  Thus it was not an EVP but rather just an "out of place" sound.

Legal: The content of this post is copyrighted and is intended exclusively for use on skepticalviewer.com It may not be copied, distributed, or redisplayed on any other site without the express written consent of the author.

1:02 pm
December 2, 2010


Revenant

Hopelessly Locked In A "Fear Cage"

Lead Investigator

posts 1393

Nosfer said:

The team heard it real-time.  Thus it was not an EVP but rather just an "out of place" sound.


 

 

Yes…I was 99% sure that this was the case, but I wanted to be absolutely sure.

Ok then…even though it is not an EVP, we can still discuss it. 

So…what was the deal with the music?  I don't know.  It was a weird moment, I'll give it that.  But…then you have to start to back-track and ask questions…which typically spells doom for DT (or really any of the paranormal shows).

Was the location secure?  We are lead to believe so, but we have no proof of this.  Could the music have been some sort of outside contamination?  Maybe.  Sound is tricky, especially in a cave.  If the acoustics are just right, sound can travel a great distance and it sounds like it's right next to you.  No one was sent outside and walk around to see if it could be heard outside as well.

Speaking of securing the location…let's talk about hoaxing for a second.  The easiest way to accomplish what we saw on the show is to record the music, use it as a "ring tone," leave the phone somewhere in the cave and simply call the phone once the crew is there.  Let's not pretend that Africa doesn't have or use current technology.  Although, we can acknowledge that playing jokes or messing with people is universal.

Lastly, they didn't show any attempt to find the source.  They stood around and "ooo'ed and ahhh'ed" over it instead of investigating it.  Great.  Without any evidence at all, they stand there and declare the music supernatural.  That's not good enough for me.  That is bad science and incredibly poor investigative skills.

So…although mildly interesting, I can't really consider the sound as evidence of anything other than their ineptitude.

"Skepticism is not a position, it's a process." -Dr Michael Shermer

2:57 pm
December 2, 2010


Nosfer

Rotaredom

Moderator

posts 2954

And since it was just vocal rather than orchestral, someone standing down the cave a ways out of sight could do something as well if we're considering hoaxing.  Brings up the old what will we accept question again, though.  Even if they say they had armed guards stationed at the entrance to secure it, we only have their word.  Is that enough?

Legal: The content of this post is copyrighted and is intended exclusively for use on skepticalviewer.com It may not be copied, distributed, or redisplayed on any other site without the express written consent of the author.

9:08 am
December 3, 2010


formerbeliever

Canada

Investigator in Training

posts 3

hmm, interesting. Good points about sound travelling great distances. I wonder if there was a nearby village as well. If there was a village not too far from the crater then def it could have come from there. 

Searching for the truth

1:41 pm
December 3, 2010


Revenant

Hopelessly Locked In A "Fear Cage"

Lead Investigator

posts 1393

Well, that's just it.  We're not going to know if any villages are nearby.  We're not going to know if, given the proper conditions, sounds can be heard from there.  We're not going to know if there are any openings in that cave (either tunnels or just simply cracks or small holes in the ceiling or walls).  We can't even say for certain that no one was just passing by and singing for whatever reason.

Just too many variables.  So is the singing interesting?  Sure.  Did it add to the "spookiness" of the episode?  Sure.  Was it paranormal?  I think it was an ambiguous recorded sound in which I have little to no confidence in stating what it was or even what it wasn't.

"Skepticism is not a position, it's a process." -Dr Michael Shermer

Reply to Post


Reply to Topic:
S04E06: Ghosts of Menengai Crater/Kalanoro

Guest Name (Required):

Guest Email (Required):

Smileys
Confused Cool Cry Embarassed Frown Kiss Laugh Smile Surprised Wink Yell
Post New Reply

Guest URL (required)

Math Required!
What is the sum of:
1 + 3
   



Permalink Print
Copyright 2010 SkepticalViewer.com - The Ghost Hunters Fansite for Skeptics