It Was A Dark and Stormy Night…a rather cliché opening to innumerable tales of tragedy and horror told around the flickering light of a campfire, but, for paranormal investigators there is some interesting scientific explanations regarding the paranormal to be found within these well worn words. Storms, especially those that have lightening associated with them, charge the surrounding atmosphere with negative ions, but what are ions and what significance do they possess in relation to paranormal investigations?

            In its most basic definition an ion is an atom or molecule that has either lost, or possibly gained, one or more electrons in its electron shells which then changes the valence – the positive or negative charge of the particle. The energy required to detach an electron from a molecule, in this case, atmospheric gas, is supplied by cloud to cloud or cloud to earth lightening strikes. When a lightening strike occurs it creates a massive influx of electrons into the atmosphere that overloads the “normal” atmospheric molecules with free electrons causing them to become ions. Additionally, when a thunder storm is nearby the ambient humidity level increases allowing less restriction of molecule to molecule electron exchange.

            Some paranormal researchers believe that higher humidity and ion levels aid the bioelectric charges of paranormal anomalies in the process of manifestation but is this really the case? The documented data presented by paranormal investigators who have used ion sensing technology in their research does corroborate the theory of a slight increase in negative ions during a paranormal occurrence, but does that mean you should start looking for ways to tip the ionization scale in your favor? Recently, in a book titled “The Orb Project” Dr. Klaus Heinemann claimed that these “ion” machines can help paranormal anomalies manifest. Does this mean you should run out and spend anywhere from $100.00 to $300.00 to buy one of these machines so that you may potentially get a few more photos of paranormal activity? Honestly, no, it would be a waste of money. But, if I read it in a book it must be true! Don’t bet on it. Most of the manufacturers of these machines tout the health benefits of their product and claim that they release “negative ions” into the air but, upon reading the fine print the fact is that these machines do not generate negative ions – they generate statically charged oxygen and nitrogen molecules surrounded by a cloud of water vapor. This means that while negative ion counts do spike slightly for a very brief period during a paranormal manifestation these machines are absolutely useless for ionizing anything, much less getting paranormal anomalies to appear. With the ionization myth now busted it appears that the best way to document paranormal anomalies is still by through research and a proper field investigation.           

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