Two notoriously 'haunted' locations in Edinburgh are subject to a systematic scientific study using a multifunction measuring instrument - and the results are 'inconclusive'
The Testo 445 multifunction measuring instrument is being used by Richard Wiseman, of the University of Hertfordshire, to investigate alleged hauntings at two sites in Edinburgh - the dungeons of Edinburgh Castle and the vaults underneath the High Street.
Dr Wiseman's investigation of the vaults has entered the Guinness Book of Records as 'the most systematic and scientific study of an alleged haunted location'.
The hand-held Testo 445 recorded changes in environmental conditions, including temperature, air movement, and humidity.
Readings were taken every five seconds at many different locations within the site over a ten-hour period.
All this data was stored within the instrument and then downloaded later for analysis.
The portability and large memory capacity of the instrument made this kind of extensive research possible.
The large memory capacity eliminated the need for a laptop computer on-site, which would have been adversely affected by the dusty and damp conditions, as well as being cumbersome to move around.
The instrument itself was capable of withstanding the harsh environment while maintaining accuracy and performance.
Dr Wiseman explains, "One of the nicest features of the Testo 445 is that it automatically assigns the recorded data to specific measurement locations, making subsequent analysis extremely easy and efficient - I did not find another instrument with this capability." Dr Wiseman's investigation has so far neither proved nor disproved the existence of ghosts conclusively, but areas where there were numerous alleged sightings corresponded to physical changes detected with the instrument and in many cases these could be traced, using the 445, to a specific cause such as a draught.
The Testo 445 measures temperature, humidity, enthalpy, air velocity, volume flow, pressure, and indoor air quality (CO2) with simultaneous measurement of up to six parameters.
