When news broke yesterday (July 15th, ’25) that Dan Rivera, one of the caretakers touring the infamous “Annabelle” doll, had died unexpectedly, it didn’t take long for the usual whispers to start. Was it the curse? Did he anger the doll? Had he “disrespected the spirit”? You could practically hear the content wheels turning. There’s a particular kind of internet buzz that surrounds this kind of tragedy. Not just the usual shock and mourning, but something else. Something hungry. When someone associated with a haunted object or location dies, the mythology grows teeth… and fast. And here’s the thing that’s hard to say out loud without sounding cold: Dan Rivera didn’t die because of a haunted doll, but the story will say he did. That says more about us than it does about Annabelle. The Myth Always Wants More The Annabelle doll is a Raggedy Ann doll said to be…
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Can We Still Trust Paranormal Evidence in the Age of AI?
When someone says they’ve seen a ghost or encountered Bigfoot, the response from most people is almost automatic: “Pics or it didn’t happen.” In an age where nearly everyone has a camera in their pocket, the assumption is that if something truly extraordinary occurred, there should be some visual evidence…
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The Spooky Science of Jeremy Renner’s Brush With Death
Jeremy Renner’s My Next Breath is a fascinating and often moving memoir, and also a striking example of how humans build stories to survive the chaos of life. In the book, Renner recounts the shocking details of his near-fatal 2023 snowplow accident, from the crushing physical damage to the harrowing…
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It’s My Birthday. It’s Also Friday the 13th. Should I Be Worried?
It’s my birthday today, which would be entirely unremarkable – except that it falls on Friday the 13th. Cue the ominous music! As someone who investigates paranormal claims and writes critically about spooky beliefs, I’ve developed a soft spot for dates like this. Not because I believe in cosmic misfortune,…
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The Worst Ghosts of 2024!
It’s that time of the year once again where I present to you, the unsuspecting public, the 5 worst ghosts caught on camera which made headlines during the past year. Fear not. These apparitions are not labelled as the ‘worst’ because they’re fearsome, terrifying, and probably going to eat your…
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Loremen Live! Ghosts of the Road
I stepped into the role of Deputy Loreperson when The Loremen were LIVE at the QEDcon in Manchester! In this episode, we meet roadside ghosts and road-adjacent spectres from across the UK (and beyond). Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker? No, neither have we. And these modern legends might…
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YouTube Debunkers Risk Spreading Misinformation If They Don’t Fact-Check Themselves
YouTube is filled with low-quality videos of ghost hunters claiming to capture paranormal activity, often relying on poorly filmed or faked footage. As this trend has grown over the years, it has been accompanied by the rise of YouTube Debunkers, offering alternative explanations and debunking the so-called evidence presented by these…
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Yorkshire Ghost Hunters Startled By Reflection
A group of Rotherham-based ghost hunters called Lost Souls Paranormal has approached the media to report that they’ve caught on camera a spooky reflection at a haunted museum, challenging anyone skeptical to visit for themselves. Yahoo News reports that the team, fronted by Darren Ross and Susan Booth, visited the…
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Is the Chicago Mothman really an Unsolved Mystery?
A skeptic paranormal researcher examines the 2024 episode of Unsolved Mysteries about The Chicago Mothman sightings. What's the reality behind the claim that the Mothman from 1960s Point Pleasant Sightings reemerged in the 21st Century in Chicago?
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The Worst Ghosts of 2023
A UK-based Paranormal researcher showcases the worst 5 ghosts of 2023 and provides the science behind the spooks...
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On That Skeptic Folklore Tradition: QEDcon
The 10th QEDcon took place over the weekend of the 23rd of September 2023. QED is the UKʼs largest skepticism and pop-science conference and takes place in Manchester and this year’s conference was the 8th QEDcon that I’ve attended. As always, the paranormal was featured during the event schedule. I…
