History of Ghost in Timeline

A ghost, in folklore, is the spirit of a dead person or animal believed to appear to the living. Ghostlore descriptions vary widely, ranging from invisible presences to realistic forms. Practices attempting to contact spirits are known as necromancy or séances. Synonyms include apparition, haunt, phantom, poltergeist, specter, and wraith.

1921: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning as Explanation for Hauntings

In 1921, speculation arose that carbon monoxide poisoning, which can cause changes in perception of the visual and auditory systems, could be a possible explanation for haunted houses.

1944: Release of 'The Uninvited'

In 1944, the genuine psychological horror film 'The Uninvited' was released.

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1945: Release of 'Dead of Night'

In 1945, the genuine psychological horror film 'Dead of Night' was released.

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1947: Release of 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'

In 1947, the sentimental film 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir' was released.

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1963: The Haunting Adapted to Cinema

In 1963, the novel 'The Haunting of Hill House' was adapted into the film 'The Haunting'.

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1968: 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir' Adapted to Television

In 1968, 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir' was adapted into a television series.

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1970: End of 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir' TV Series

In 1970, the television series 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir' ended.

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1980: Release of 'The Fog'

In 1980, 'The Fog' was released, representing the trend of merging ghost stories with physical violence in the horror genre.

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1984: Release of 'Ghostbusters'

In 1984, the comedy film 'Ghostbusters' was released, popularizing ghost hunting as a hobby.

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1989: Release of 'Field of Dreams'

In 1989, the film 'Field of Dreams' was released, depicting a ghost as a benign guide.

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1990: Release of the film 'Ghost'

In 1990, the film 'Ghost' was released, featuring a ghost as a benign guide.

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1993: Release of 'Heart and Souls'

In 1993, the comedy 'Heart and Souls' was released, depicting ghosts as benign guides.

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1995: Casper the Friendly Ghost Feature Film

In 1995, the children's benevolent ghost character, Casper the Friendly Ghost, created in the 1930s, appeared in a feature film.

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1998: Release of Japanese film 'Ringu'

In 1998, the Japanese horror film 'Ringu' was released.

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1999: Release of 'The Sixth Sense'

In 1999, the film 'The Sixth Sense' was released, marking a return to classic gothic ghosts with psychological dangers.

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2002: Release of film 'The Eye' and Remake of 'Ringu'

In 2002, the Pang brothers' film 'The Eye' was released, and the Japanese film 'Ringu' was remade in the US as 'The Ring'.

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2003: Wiseman et al. study on hauntings

In 2003, a study of two experiments into alleged hauntings by Wiseman et al. concluded that people report unusual experiences in 'haunted' areas because of environmental factors, such as variance of local magnetic fields, size of location and lighting level stimuli.

2005: Gallup Poll on Belief in Ghosts

In 2005, a Gallup poll indicated that about 32 percent of Americans believe in ghosts.

2009: Pew Research Center Study on Ghosts

In 2009, according to a study by the Pew Research Center, 18% of Americans reported having seen a ghost.

2017: Publication of 'Investigating Ghosts: The Scientific Search for Spirits'

In 2017, Benjamin Radford, from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, published 'Investigating Ghosts: The Scientific Search for Spirits', discussing the lack of concrete evidence in ghost hunting and the need for a clearer definition of ghosts.

Investigating Ghosts: The Scientific Search for Spirits

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2019: Reference to Repha'im in Book of Isaiah Archived

In 2019, a reference to repha'(im) (Hebrew: רְפָאִים) was archived, describing the race of "giants" formerly inhabiting Canaan in many verses, also referring to (the spirits of) dead ancestors of Sheol (like shades) in many others such as in the Book of Isaiah.