In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal
that can appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts
vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely
visible wispy shapes, to realistic, lifelike forms. The deliberate
attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as
necromancy, or in spiritism as a séance. Other terms associated with
it are apparition, haunt, phantom, poltergeist, shade, specter or
spectre, spirit, spook, and wraith.The belief in the existence of an
afterlife, as well as manifestations of the spirits of the dead, is
widespread, dating back to animism or ancestor worship in pre-literate
cultures. Certain religious practicesâ€"funeral rites, exorcisms, and
some practices of spiritualism and ritual magicâ€"are specifically
designed to rest the spirits of the dead. Ghosts are generally
described as solitary, human-like essences, though stories of ghostly
armies and the ghosts of animals rather than humans have also been
recounted. They are believed to haunt particular locations, objects,
or people they were associated with in life. According to a 2009 study
by the Pew Research Center, 18% of Americans say they have seen a
ghost.The overwhelming consensus of science is that there is no proof
that ghosts exist. Their existence is impossible to falsify, and ghost
hunting has been classified as pseudoscience. Despite centuries of
investigation, there is no scientific evidence that any location is
inhabited by spirits of the dead. Historically, certain toxic and
psychoactive plants (such as datura and hyoscyamus niger), whose use
has long been associated with necromancy and the underworld, have been
shown to contain anticholinergic compounds that are pharmacologically
linked to dementia (specifically DLB) as well as histological patterns
of neurodegeneration. Recent research has indicated that ghost
sightings may be related to degenerative brain diseases such as
Alzheimer's disease. Common prescription medication and
over-the-counter drugs (such as sleep aids) may also, in rare
instances, cause ghost-like hallucinations, particularly zolpidem and
diphenhydramine. Older reports linked carbon monoxide poisoning to
ghost-like hallucinations. Ghost Biography, NetWorth, Height, Age, Weight, Family, Married, Son, Daughter