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Electromagnetism
Let’s talk about this subject called (EM) Electromagnetism.
Electromagnetism is a large, encompassing theory, so it’s
no wonder that many people do not understand it because we cannot
see it, feel it or even taste it. A basic book on it will almost
immediately dive into the world of boring mathematics, such
as Maxwell’s equations!
Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) are invisible lines of force
that surround any electrical device. Power lines, electrical
wiring, and electrical equipment all produce EMF. There are
many other sources of EMF as well. The focus of this discussion
is on the basic understanding of EMF--that is, EMF associated
with the generation, transmission, and use of electric power.
Electric fields are produced by voltage and increase in strength
as the voltage increases. The electric field strength is measured
in units of volts per meter (V/m). Magnetic fields result from
the flow of current through wires or electrical devices and
increase in strength as the current increases. Magnetic fields
are measured in units of gauss (G) or tesla (T).
Most electrical equipment has to be turned on, i.e., current
must be flowing, for a magnetic field to be produced. Electric
fields are often present even when the equipment is switched
off, as long as it remains connected to the source of electric
power. Brief bursts of EMF (sometimes called "transients")
can also occur when electrical devices are turned on or off.
Electric fields are shielded or weakened by materials that conduct
electricity--even materials that conduct poorly, including trees,
buildings, and human skin. Magnetic fields, however, pass through
most materials and are therefore more difficult to shield. Both
electric fields and magnetic fields decrease rapidly as the
distance from the source increases.
Even though electrical equipment, appliances, and power lines
produce both electric and magnetic fields, most recent research
has focused on potential health effects of magnetic field exposure.
This is because some epidemiological studies have reported an
increased cancer risk associated with estimates of magnetic
field exposure. No similar associations have been reported for
electric fields; many of the studies examining biological effects
of electric fields were essentially negative.
The term "EMF" usually refers to electric and magnetic
fields at extremely low frequencies such as those associated
with the use of electric power. The term EMF can be used in
a much broader sense as well, encompassing electromagnetic fields
with low or high frequencies.
Measuring
EMF: Common Terms |
| Electric
fields: |
Electric
field strength is measured in volts per meter (V/m) or
in kilovolts per meter (kV/m). 1 kV = 1000 V |
| Magnetic
fields: |
Magnetic
fields are
measured in units of gauss (G) or tesla (T). Gauss is
the unit most commonly used in the United States. Tesla
is the internationally accepted scientific term. 1 T =
10,000 G Since most environmental EMF exposures involve
magnetic fields that are only a fraction of a tesla or
a gauss, these are commonly measured in units of microtesla
(µT) or milligauss (mG). A milligauss is 1/1,000
of a gauss. A microtesla is 1/1,000,000 of a tesla. 1
G = 1,000 mG; 1 T = 1,000,000 µT To convert a measurement
from microtesla (µT) to milligauss (mG), multiply
by 10. 1 µT = 10 mG; 0.1 µT = 1 mG |
The earth produces EMF, mainly in the form of static fields,
similar to the fields generated by DC electricity. Electric
fields are produced by air turbulence and other atmospheric
activity. The earth's magnetic field of about 500 mG is thought
to be produced by electric currents flowing deep within the
earth's core. Because these fields are static rather than alternating,
they do not induce currents in stationary objects as do fields
associated with alternating current. Such static fields can
induce currents in moving and rotating objects.
The wavy line at the right illustrates the concept that the
higher the frequency, the more rapidly the field varies. The
fields do not vary at 0 Hz (direct current) and vary trillions
of times per second near the top of the spectrum. Note that
104 means 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 or 10,000 Hz. 1 kilohertz (kHz)
= 1,000 Hz. 1 megahertz (MHz) = 1,000,000 Hz.
You cannot see a magnetic field, but this illustration represents
how the strength of the magnetic field can diminish just 1-2
feet (30-61 centimeters) from the source. This magnetic field
is a 60-Hz power-frequency field.
When
it comes to using EMF detectors, may folks have no clue on
how to use them properly or the ability to determine man-made
sources such as (AC), which is alternating current from natural
ones (DC), which is direct current.
The problem is amplified by the fact that most meters are
calibrated at 60Hz AC, the same frequency as household wiring
and other man-made electrical systems. They were not designed
for what we are using them for, such as paranormal research.
Most of us, aka ghost hunters will tell you that ghosts are
believed to emit some kind of electromagnetic field, so called
EMF. However, when asked why they believe this, many cannot
give a good scientific answer because we are still in the
beginning stages of this frontier research.
Here is some of our hypothesizes explaining how the EMF detector
problem can be solved to some degree in the field of paranormal
research. The scientific method is the best way yet discovered
for winnowing the truth from lies and delusion. The basic
version looks something like this:
1.
Observe some aspect of the universe.
2. Invent a theory that is consistent with what you have observed.
3. Use the theory to make predictions.
4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations.
5. Modify the theory in the light of your results.
6. Go back to step 3 and loop again.
So, what is my theory, the basis for ghostly energetic? There
is really only one possibility within known science, so let’s
go to the
specialists.
To begin our quest, we must first take a look at the ghost
in the human machine, the conscious of the mind. Professor
McFadden from the School of Biomedical and Life Sciences at
the University of Surrey in the UK believes our conscious
mind could be an electromagnetic field. His theory may solve
many previously intractable problems of consciousness and
could have profound implications for our concepts of mind,
spirituality and even life and death.
There are wide differences in the concepts of consciousness,
which are prevalent among biologists, psychologists, and sociologists.
The threefold meaning of consciousness comes from the Latin
word 'con-scio': a) to cut, b) to make a distinction, and
c) to know.
There are three different ways to know the difference -- 'con-scientia':
1) Through genetic bio-reactive knowledge,
2) Through personal self-reflexive knowledge, and,
3) Through social, consensually validated knowledge.
Most people consider "mind" to be all the conscious
things that we are aware of. However this is not quite accurate.
The majority of mental activity occurs without awareness.
Actions such as peddling a bicycle or walking can become as
automatic as breathing. The biggest puzzle in neuroscience
is how the brain activity that we're aware of (consciousness)
differs from the brain activity of all of those unconscious
actions.
The human brain is a symphony of electromagnetic signals,
but science has had trouble finding the conductor of the symphony.
One of the problems that neurologists have with consciousness
is called the binding problem. The best way to explain the
binding problem is to use the analogy of a tree. A tree seems
to contain thousands of leaves, all of which are contained
on several branches. Neurobiology tells us that the information
contained in the mind (all the leaves) is dissected and scattered
among millions of widely separated neurons. The binding problem
is encountered when science tries to explain where in the
brain all those leaves are stuck together to form the conscious
impression of a whole tree.
How does our brain bind information to generate consciousness?
The data does not seem to add up and our symphony conductor
is once again missing.
Through his research, Professor McFadden realized that every
time a nerve fires, the electrical activity sends a signal
to the brain's electromagnetic field. However, unlike solitary
nerve signals, information that reaches the brain's electromagnetic
field is automatically bound together with all the other signals
in the brain.
The brain's electromagnetic field does the binding that is
characteristic of consciousness. Conscious information processing
is associated with the EM component of ultra low frequency
(ULF) brainwaves in either:
a) Dialectically "denser" parts of the brain in
the normal awake state
of consciousness; or
b) a gaseous ionic structure in the vicinity of the mind.
This is why we aka ghost hunters look at EM fields. It is
the basis of life itself (a great book on the subject that
I'd recommend for ghost hunters is " The electromagnetic
origins of life" by Dr. Becker). The brain's EM field
is the only possible thing that could survive bodily death.
EEG
and the brain's state
 EEG
(Electroencephalography) technology is used to measure brain's
electrical vibrations from the surface of the scalp. The resulting
EEG pattern will contain frequency elements mainly below 30Hz.
The frequencies are categorized into four states as follows:
| State |
Frequency
Range |
Amplitude |
State
of Mind |
| Delta |
0.5Hz
- 4Hz |
high
(up to 200uV) |
Deep
sleep |
| Theta |
4Hz
- 8Hz |
low
(5uV - 20uV) |
Drowsiness
(also first stage of sleep) |
| Alpha |
8Hz
- 14Hz |
high
(up to 200uV) |
Relaxed
but alert |
| Beta |
14Hz
- 30Hz |
low
(less than 10uV) |
Highly
alert and focused |
The
dominant frequency in the EEG pattern determines what is called
the current state of the brain. If the amplitude of the alpha
range frequencies is highest, the brain is said to be in the
alpha stage. Note that other frequencies still occur; it is
not meaningful to give any exact frequency your brain is "operating
on."
So what happens at death? Using the first law of thermodynamics
there are several possibilities. First, all that energy could
transform intoheat and bleed out of the skull. That would
also mean no afterlife, much less any possibility for ghosts.
Fortunately, there are other possibilities. The EM field could
also change frequency or polarity. Interestingly enough there
is some data out there that suggests that the mind goes into
theta waves just before death, which gives us a possibility
of ghosts.
Using what data we have from neurology, we can assume that
the frequency change could not exceed much more than 40Hz
or so. The bottom line is that we are looking for low frequency
DC EM fields. These types of fields are what we need to take
a serious look at. The biggest problem with EMF detectors
is that they are not giving you the most vital piece of information
of the EM field, its FREQUENCY!
They can only give you the power associated with a field.
There is an instrument that can give you both power levels
and frequency. It's a laptop computer. We have a program that
transforms your laptop into a spectrum analyzer. Using the
proper coil or antenna, so can quickly tell if a field is
manmade or not and record the data from the field onto the
hard drive of the laptop.
-
Ron (TAPS)
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