Ectoplasm

In short...there's no such thing...

Ectoplasm was a term coined by the Media during the Spiritualism Movement in the turn of the century (late 1800's/early 1900's). The con-artist "Mediums" of the time would take advantage of the wealthy, bored housewives of industrialists, and put on shows by "exuding a strange substance from their bodies"...

Actually, the trick of the trade at the time, was for the Medium to swallow a wad of Cheesecloth, then regurgitate it during the séance while in their "trances".

"Ectoplasm" made it's resurgence after...you guessed it...the movie "Ghostbusters" (and the internet) came out.

Notice how I keep referring to that movie?...It's another example of how Hollywood influences the general way of thinking...It's just a movie, not a basis for informational purposes...

Some are actually trying to claim that "ecto" is the substance used by spirits to move from one dimensional plane to another.... HOW? Like a lubricant?

Wouldn't there be some trace left behind?...Something that can actually be tested, analyzed, and deemed real?...You'd think so...

*Venkman: "Egon....your mucus." *, as he handed him the petrie dish.

"Ecto" is far too overly used to describe various photographic anomalies. The majority appear as a thick mist or cloud. This most often appears extremely close to the camera...while outdoors...in cemeteries...at night...when it's cold out...

Let's do the math.

Close to camera + outdoors + night + cold = Breath. Breath will show up in the daylight also, without the flash lighting it up...as long as it's cold out, you're going to get it, guaranteed...

Some will argue because they want it to be something.

"Then why did it show up on this photo, and not this one or this one?"

Simple, you don't breathe the same way every time you take a photo. No one consciously holds their breath while taking a picture, they just don't think about it.

Keep in mind, that it doesn't have to be the dead of winter with freezing temperatures. Anything below 65 degrees with low humidity will produce breath. Be it as faint as it will, the camera flash will illuminate it.

It doesn't necessarily have to be cold out. Some shots were taken in the summertime when it was warm at night, and there wasn't any "breath explanation".

Personally, I think these shots were done on purpose when no one was looking, by individuals seeking acceptance into a "group" during one of their group's outings to trespass in a cemetery after hours. (but that's just me) 

These were taken in my backyard around midnight. It was a balmy 82 degrees, with the relative humidity of 39%.

Granted there are some questionable anomalies out there that are misty in form, but we can hardly call it "ectoplasm". I guess this for lack of a better term, and "ectoplasm" has a better ring to it than "mist"...makes it sound more "official".

A "Mist" will have a pattern to it, shaped like a trail, not a big poofy cloud.

The dead giveaway (no pun intended), is there won't be any "billowy" or "rolling" to it like breath or smoke will have.

Then there's the pattern recognition (actual term, pareidolia) mind trick that will have people seeing things in it from everything to "Angels on horseback" to "Demons" and "Faces"...If you look closely at the right side of the first example photo above, your brain might recognize a "face" in the breath.

The environment and circumstances has a lot to with it. If the photo was taken indoors, during warm months, with no one smoking, burning incense, or blowing out birthday candles, then it might be tangible...other than that...naaaa.

So if you're fortunate enough to capture something of this nature, and can verify the conditions at the time, please don't call it "Ecto".

It's just another common mis-con-ception....and the second most posted Paranormal Internet Urban Legend...

~~~copyright 2002 revised 2005 Dr. Ken

None of this material may be used without
the written consent of Dr. Ken