Ghosts remain a fascinating and debated topic, bridging folklore, culture, and science. While they are deeply embedded in human belief systems, with varied characteristics and rituals across societies, scientific research leans toward explanations rooted in psychology and environment.

The complexity suggests an open-minded approach, acknowledging cultural significance while recognizing the lack of empirical evidence.

The concept of ghosts is highly controversial, with folklore and personal anecdotes supporting their existence, while scientific studies lean toward psychological or environmental explanations.

This skepticism contrasts with the 46% of Americans who, according to a 2019 Ipsos poll cited in Live Science: Are Ghosts Real?, believe in ghosts, illustrating the gap between belief and scientific consensus.

Despite cultural prevalence, scientific research finds no evidence for the existence of ghosts, classifying the concept as pseudoscience. Studies suggest that reported ghostly encounters can often be explained by psychological or environmental factors.

Beliefs about ghosts are deeply rooted in cultural and religious traditions, varying significantly across societies. Many cultures have funeral rituals designed to prevent ghosts from haunting the living, reflecting a widespread fear of restless spirits.

A 2009 Pew Research Center study found that 18% of Americans report seeing a ghost, highlighting the prevalence of belief (Pew Research Center: Ghost Sightings).

They are often believed to haunt particular locations, objects, or people associated with their life, composed of misty, airy, or subtle material, linked to early beliefs about breath visible as white mist.

The evidence leans toward ghosts being solitary, human-like essences, though they can also appear as ghostly armies or animal spirits.

Research suggests that descriptions vary widely, from invisible presences to translucent or wispy shapes, to realistic, lifelike forms.

A ghost is generally defined as the soul or spectre of a dead person, capable of returning to the world of the living, often inhabiting a netherworld.

The term encompasses a broad range of supernatural entities, often described with varying characteristics depending on cultural, religious, and personal beliefs.

Ghosts are widely recognized in folklore and mythology as the souls or spirits of deceased individuals or animals, believed by some to manifest in the living world.