In this episode, Matt talks about an infamous TV movie – Ghostwatch – that allegedly tricked millions of Britons into believing that the BBC had inadvertently let a malevolent spirit loose on the country. The actual story is both more mundane and more interesting. Plus, Ghostwatch provides a snapshot of public paranormal beliefs of the early 1990s. Come learn about one of the best horror movies Matt has ever seen, and how it reflects paranormal beliefs, and how the movie and its aftermath are remembered.

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Transcript here

This episode featured music by Matthew Armstrong and was produced by Kaylia Metcalfe.

122. Cameras, Sensors, and Digital Ghosts – Ghosthropology

What do a Tesla car, an Xbox peripheral, and a smartphone have in common? All of them have been used to detect ghosts in various ways. In this episode, Matt explains what is actually going on, how these devices work, and why even knowing all that may not stop us from thinking our tech is detecting the spirits of the departed. Past episodes and full show notes can be found at https://kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthroplogy Instagram: instagram.com/ghosthropod YouTube: youtube.com/@ghosthropology Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/c/ghosthropology Email: ghosthropology@gmail.com

1. 122. Cameras, Sensors, and Digital Ghosts 19:33
2. 121.: Pursuing Demons and Spectral Hounds 22:11
3. 120: A Ghost Motorcycle in Australia and a Ghost Train in North Carolina 21:39
4. 119. Ghosts of the British Museum (with Noah Angell) 01:05:47
5. 118 The Glorious Past and The Sordid Past 30:15

Sources:

Forbes, F., I. McClure. 1994. The terror of television made worse by family stress. BMJ, 1994;308:714. Accessed online 6/18/26 at https://www.bmj.com/content/308/6930/714.1

Hess, David. 1992. Science In the New Age. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, WI.

Simons, D., W. R. Silveira. 1994. Post-traumatic stress disorder in children after television programmes. BMJ, 1994;308:389. Accessed online 6/18/26 at https://www.bmj.com/content/308/6925/389. 

BBC

Everything is Scary

Higgypop (every time Pipes shows up on screen)

The Independent

Medium

The Midnight Selection

News.com.au

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