Haunted houses once explained through spirits are increasingly studied through carbon monoxide poisoning, sound waves, and drafts.

A closer look

The creak of a stair, the chill in the air, the whisper you thought you heard—once, these were signs of spirits. Now, scientists point to invisible gases, infrasound vibrations, and sneaky drafts as the real culprits. Haunted houses may be more about physics than phantoms. Still, the thrill remains: even if our brains are tricked by the air we breathe or the sounds we can’t hear, the experience feels real. Perhaps science hasn’t erased ghosts but given them new disguises, reminding us that fear itself is one of humanity’s oldest haunted companions.