I can't believe all the negative Nellies. Just because this is a story about something you may believe to be fake, doesn't make it a terrible episode. It's still a great exercise in storytelling, and it's not saying "ghosts are real" or judging the protagonist of the story. The commentary remains subjective, despite the campfire spooky story atmosphere.

Anything can come out of a Radiolab, so just enjoy the experience without getting high and mighty.

A few days ago I came across this film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qSEi_sfaSU&feature=youtu.be
Although I can't tell with certainty that this film isn't a fraud I find the idea comforting, when dealing with the loss of loved ones.

"Radiolab is a show about curiosity. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience."

That's from Radiolab's "About" section.

Quitcherbitchin' kids.

So many people in these comments are awfully serious. When has Radiolab *not* dealt with human experience? When has Radiolab ever lacked a sense of fun?

Chill. Out. This was a Halloween story.

I'm reading the comments and I just wanted to know did everyone listen to the end?

Did you get upset and turn it off in a huff or something?

Seriously they explain what is happening with the flash lights at the end.

So what's the problem?

Why in there is no God's name would you think that this was a good idea?

That is all.

A program that ruined your credibility. Very sad .
Personally I'm sad and I have to apologize to my friends for having recommended the podcast.

The scariest part of this story was when Robert got called "dude".

There has been an explosion in the area of ghost hunting coming at the heels of the immense success of shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. As the poster in Foxx Muldar's office read, "We want to believe". In all the long history of mankind, however, there has never been produced a single piece of evidence for the existence of ghosts. We want to believe because we don't want to wink out like a candle when our lives are over. The tools employed by these ghost hunters are tragically unscientific, like the flash lights, but that doesn't stop people from believing. But, because it's hard to prove a negative, there has also been no proof put forward that ghosts don't exist. What I think is interesting is that since the dawn of man, nearly every culture has carried these beliefs. This persistence alone is enough to make you not close the door on the possibility. It's a question we will only know about a moment after our deaths, and as such, will never be answered on this mortal coil. I do find the reaction that it's silly, immature, ridiculous to even consider the existence of spirits to be interesting, particular from a culture that claims to religious. Do you believe in the Holy Ghost? Is a belief in God that much different from believing in spooks? Like the ghost busters, religions claim to have "proof" of the existence of God, but these proofs hold up no better under scientific inquiry than the ghost hunter's flashlights and EMF detectors. One of our greatest mental faculties, one that seperates us from most animals, if not all, is our ability to fantasize, to imagine things, and this is good and bad.

I don't believe this story is real for even a second because the idea of ghosts is just ridiculous to me. I think this entire event was just a way for Dennis Conrow to deal with the loss of his parents. Even though I don't believe the story, I did find it very entertaining to listen to.

I can definitely relate to this video in so many ways. Not saying that I do or don't believe in ghost, I just believe in people spirits still living within the home they passed away in. Living at my mother's house, I would be in the house by myself and next thing I know I would hear something falling or the blinds would move by themselves, it was crazy scary. My mother would say that it was just our Grandmother checking on us, seeing how we was doing. When I lived at my father's house I would always be scared to leave out of my room because I would always hear foot steps going up and down the hallway, it was crazy scary... So I do agree a person spirit can live on in your household after they have passed, especially when they have been living there for along time.

I don't know if I believe in ghosts and spirits that surround us. Its a weird concept that I think would be hard to fully understand. However to fully grasp the concept I feel like a podcast can not do it just, I don't even believe that a film would make me believe. I don't believe the "ghost hunters" were coning him I think that they truly believe the house was haunt and the science behind the flashlight trick was not know about.

Coming from a religious family with a background and being very open to our scences, I can relate to this video. Many times I have encountered ghosts or spirit interactions, however you want to call them. It's something that is very hard to explain to someone who is not accepting of the information or is going into the conversation very one sided. I think this episode was very interesting, hearing first hand what these individuals are encountering. Some may call it bogus, but I believe it is real. Not all "ghost hunters" are telling the 100% truth, but there are people who do. Many things I have encountered have no real logical explanation, and I can live with that, as some cannot. Living life with an open mind, I have an advantage. I can recieve things that people cannot because they simply block it out. I really enjoyed the content of this video and hope to see more like it in the future.

While I do not believe in ghosts, I did enjoy this episode. It may not have been scientific with the different "tests" for supernatural presence, I think the real scientific approach here was in the mind's way of coping with a significant loss. People have all different ways of dealing with grief, such as the loss of parents, and it was interesting that he felt like he needed this experience for closure. It also was interesting to hear about ghost hunters through the eyes of people who obviously believe in it to get some perspective.

Just want to echo the general sentiment that for halloween I'm cool with this kinda thing, but hopefully Radiolab will be careful about enabling ghost hunters and the like in future episodes.

So, is it just me or is there a rainbow orb in the left window ?
And what about the upper pane on the right window ?

While I am skeptical of the whole ghost scenario, especially after the explanation of the pounding foot steps and flickering flashlights, I think that this was a good experience for him. It gave him closure over the loss of his parents.

As someone who is really curious about paranormal phenomena, I loved this podcast. It's interesting that the guy never noticed anything himself until his house was investigated. The story seems fairly plausible, since people unlikely to have knowledge of the deaths in the house first sensed something. I'd never heard of the flashlight technique before, but obviously, nothing can absolutely prove the paranormal. I do think the clairvoyants' claims were a bit suspect, because the human factor must always be accounted for, but the rest of the story seemed to support them. Personally, I think that despite the unreliability of the flashlight phenomenon, there is enough that remains unexplained in this story to make one wonder.

The lead-in to this episode starts with "There are many ways to communicate with the dead." Radiolab has received grants from the National Science Foundation. The tags for this article are "ghosts, paranormal activity, science, storytelling." What is wrong with this picture? I suggest RL should decide what it wants to be. A storytelling podcast with audio creativity? Great. Return the NSF funding. A science podcast? Start by reading the recent NYTimes article "the unbelievable skepticism of the Amazing Randi."

ITT: angry atheists.

NPR

This story some might label as #2spooky. Truthfully I'm not quite sure why I was drawn too it, I am in no way fond of scary stories. But I found this story so very intriguing. It drew me in and I guess it was the whole idea of how outrageous these ghost stories are. I have always found the ghost hunter shows to be absolutely fake. But some of these things just seem to be so very realistic. It drew me in with its story line and how fake it seemed that I so wanted it to be real so I kept listening, waiting for the one part that would tell me "oh man, this can't be fake." These stories drag us in by promising suspense and raising your interests.

I thought this was a beautiful and sad episode about a person who was haunted by his memory and love for his parents. I think the people who are getting upset are missing the point of this story.
Radiolab, continue doing your great work!

Great episode - obviously a little too subtle for some of the listeners. My only request is that you tell us who did the cool music at the end of the episode! I want to hear more. Thanks for many great years of listening. Love all that you do.

Congratulations on bunching up the panties of half the listening audience. Sheesh, people turn cold fast. Anyway, I personally enjoyed the show. Sure, not really a science theme, but I don't care -- I dig Radiolab for more reasons than one: The sound design, the likeable hosts, the music, the interesting strangers I get to encounter, the wonderful storytelling, etc. -- and all of that was there. Eh, when people don't get their way or what they expect from someone else's personal effort, it can sometimes result in bunched-up panties, as we all know. It's just the way of humanity. I'm sure cavemen were chiseling passive-aggressive petroglyphs on Newspaper Rock. Keep doing what you're doing. And thanks for doing it.

Hey all you complainers: go start your own infotainment podcast if you're so concerned about scientific integrity. Christ, it's like reading comments from spoiled children. No one forces you to listen, and certainly no one forces you to contribute money to Radiolab.
Hey Radiolab, how about a program investigating the phenomenon of grown adults who whine like children?

How dare you tell a ghost story on Halloween!

I think it is interesting how much anger people feel just because this episode wasn't offering a data / research based answer, or not much of one.

Just goes to show people react negatively to what can't be understood in a logical way. Hence the strong feelings for or against the idea of God.

Radiolab, don't let these negative human beings ever change how you tell stories or what you choose to cover.

After all everything we "know" can change in an instant.

I've listened to every single last episode you have made, I even had tickets to one of your live shows in LA but missed it. (Still bummed about that)
You've always presented all your stories in a very balanced way leaving room for the unknown or the "what if", which is why I keep listening.

Life is not about knowing the right answer to everything, because we never will.

Life is about experiences. To those who didn't like this episode, lighten up.

VERY disappointed in Radiolab for putting out this nonsense episode. You should not be giving these "Ghost hunting" hucksters any more exposure than they already have. I thought Radiolab stood for science and enlightenment. I have been enjoying this podcast for along time and I don't ever want to hear an episode like this again. SHAME ON YOU.

Honestly, as a paying supporter of Radiolab, if you ever do a hokey program like this again I won't support Radiolab ever again. I come here for skeptical science that isn't completely rigid and interesting stories but paranormal activity is CHILD'S play. People that have paranormal experiences have a lot of problem's to begin with, usually Mentally, or are just complete fucking liars that are full of shit to begin with.

I'm pretty upset with this shit. Paranormal activity is absolutely debunked science over and over and over. Nobody has clairvoyance. It's narcissism at best. Most likely there is no afterlife.

I found this to be a disappointment -- not because of the approach to the paranormal, which was very poetic and moody and engaging, but because of the really wooden "let's bring in the scientific explanation about how it was all done" conclusion. Really? You interrupt the poetry and feeling of the program with THAT?

And just so you don't misunderstand my complaint, please notice that your explanation has no explanatory power whatsoever. If it did, then all three flashlights would be lighting up and growing dim in rhythmic fashion, some at the same time presumably. Verbal patterns and patters of dialogue are very distinct phenomena -- Radiolab has alluded to this in other episodes -- and not at all random-seeming.

So, did Radiolab just confirm that causal forms exist that we don't understand and largely don't know about? That these forms exist among us and "haunt" the material world? No, probably not -- just another anecdote to add to the quite literally billions of other such stories about people's personal experiences with things like this.

What's hard to bear is not just the way you upend the emotional poetry of the episode in order to try to protect your scientific dignity; it's that you regard science as having much of any opinion on the matter of the paranormal. A good scientist wouldn't grope for lame explanations to dismiss the mystery of what had just occurred; a good scientist would say, "I don't know."

By the way, for all those comfortable with knee-jerk responses against the paranormal, you might do well to acknowledge that what systematic science has been done on the subject, at reputable institutions like Harvard, Yale, Duke, Princeton, Cornell, and UCLA, have generated data that mildly to moderately indicate the existence of qualities like telepathy and clairvoyance. From the standpoint of experimental evidence, the case is closer to being made than to being refuted.

(Oh, please, someone mention the name of James Randi -- a paid entertainer who poses as a scientific investigator. This always seems to come up in conversations like this.)

Don't know if someone noted this... Man, that's a lot of comments! But I did notice something about the flashlights and asking questions and all... The "investigator" waited for a light to turn on before calling it the "yes" light then proceeded to ask (only?) questions where yes was, arguably, the desired answer. The same was done up in the bedroom.. "Are you well?", "Do you want them to leave?" etc. As is usually the case, no one tried to fool the ghosts by using negative questions, for instance.. like "Am I a disappointment?" or "Would you like them to stay?".
So, first you identify a flashlight that will exhibit the behaviour by waiting for it to turn on, then you label it as "yes" and proceed to ask a bunch of positive questions. I think this probably explains a lot of why most of the answers seem so coincidentally on point.
I really don't think these paranormal enthusiasts are out to swindle (not the club members in the story, I mean) they, like their subjects, count every hit as another reason to believe and they just want to believe.

I teach radio journalism at the University of Stockholm. I always start a new course by playing an excerpt from "Animal Minds" (The Whale that said Thanks). The reason for this is to show students what´s been happening with this old, old medium. "Who needs TV?", is the underlaying question. Young people in Sweden listens more and more to radio. And Radiolab is (was) so interesting as they, with Ira Glasses words, "invented a new aestetics". Listening to the latest podcast made me so disapppointed. Radiolab is no more. Now I recommend my students to listen to old Radiolab episodes and Serial. I still wear my Radiolab t-shirt, but not so often these days.

I'm not sure what I believe when it comes to ghosts. I think they exist, but I'm uncertain of the extent to which the supernatural can interact with people. I think many paranormal activities are exaggerated. I think it's awful if these ghost hunters messed with this man. I wonder how ghosts can use a flashlight. I agree that people are fascinated by other's ghost stories because it is something out of the ordinary.

I thought this was a great episode! I can see why people didn't like it, but I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling and the #realness of Dennis listening to the ghost hunter audio for the first time. It definitely gave me a few chills, and I thought the drama, entertainment and journalistic components of this story made for a really interesting piece.

Great episode. Don't be afraid to explore the paranormal or unexplained phenomenon in future episodes. Historically I've been a skeptic but after examining and carefully considering unexplained phenomenon I have to admit I really don't know, and I doubt anyone else does either. Curiosity and agnosticism are the appropriate attitudes when presented with something we don't understand. If we deny the possibility before we begin to investigate we will always miss out on that which we have yet to discover.

I usually like every single show but this I found kind of a little boring. Maybe it was because I was cleaning my room while I was listening. After reading the comments I have to agree this is the lamest of all the episodes. I hope this isn't a sign of future times.

Terrific, moving piece of storytelling!

Why are people being so pissy about this episode? It was a moving story about a man trying to find meaning after great loss. It didn't legitimize supernatural ghost hunters — it explained at the end how the flashlight phenomenon works.

Get over it! You're just as bad as the fundamentalists who throw a tantrum anytime someone suggests anything that falls outside of their own dogma.

I enjoyed it. I love Radiolab. I expect the unexpected, from it. And that is what I usually get !

This was a very disappointing episode. I think it legitimizes paranormal "investigators" and their kind. Please get back to the old Radiolab episodes like The Bad Show, The Good Show, Colors, etc.

Thanks

I loved the episode. I don't understand the fury of so many people about it. To me, Radiolab has been about the unknown, unexplained or just plain unexplored in human experience. You can read this episode in different ways, and the truth or untruth of the occasion with the flashlights is probably the least interesting part of it. We are wired to search for meaning. Why should an essentially materialist view of the world have to constrain our thoughts as well? Why can't we wonder about the spirit of our father or mother without arch comments about hokum or con-artists or suckers? Please allow a little diversity in human thought and experience.

I miss the old RadioLab ...........

Quality of episodes just plummeted and this last one is just bottom don't know if you can make it worse.
p.s Love old radiolab podcasts

Before I listened to this podcast I did not believe in ghosts in the slightest, but after I heard it I realized that I was right the first time: ghosts are about as real as Dracula or Obama. If this story about the haunted house proves one thing about ghosts is that they should be a visual medium. Hearing somebody describe why I should be afraid that lights are flickering is like listening to someone give me a play-by-play of the movie Paranormal Activity from another room, but with better acting. I would not recommend this podcast for its educational value, but if you're just looking for a ghost story, I've heard a lot worse than this, though I'm not sure if that says more about the quality of the podcast or about my low standards for horror.

Wow this podcast was so interesting! Spirits are something that I strongly believe in and this podcast made me believe in them even more. The flashlight theory is so fascinating, however, it seems a bit over exaggerated. I believe speaking to spirits is much more complicated than turning a flashlight on and off. In the future talking to the paranormal may be a science but even though this podcast was interesting it isn't really that reliable.

lame. radiolab is lame. npr is lame.
lame lame lame

This podcast caught my attention because paranormal things are always fascinating to me. I am not sure if I am a believer in spirits but for all we know there may be a whole different world that we cannot see. Most stories on television or radio shows are staged, as well as this podcast may be too. People are most vulnerable to paranormal activity which allows producers to make serious money. The thrill of being in contact with the dead is always a hot topic. Needless to say, I believe that this podcast is a hoax and a mockery of Dennis Conrow.

I believe this podcast was more aimed toward entertainment rather than true scientific backing. Everyone is exposed to some form of paranormal activity through broadcasting of movies and TV shows or even some first hand experiences of there own. Though nothing can be proven I like to think of life after death and spirits lingering around. Though I do believe in spirits, I think that the ones that linger around aren't always positive ones and those are the ones people have to look out for. Some I truly do believe aim to get inside people and hold a satanic value behind themselves. Ghost hunter shows I believe are pumped up for the hype and intend on getting viewers so their shows so well. It is a business. The ones described in this podcast seemed to be in that category. Sometimes we look for things that happen to be coincidences rather than actually stumbling upon actual spirits. Whether one believes in this stuff is up to them but I do believe there are some spirits lingering around out there. We never know when we ourselves might run into one and change our perspective on things.

This podcast was spooky yet entertaining. I felt as if it was a tad bit fake and staged. The limit of information and the over dramatic scenes make it seem fake. Many people claim to have seen ghosts and have had first hand experience at paranormal activity but people can also be demented. People will also make up stories for entertainment purposes as well so in a way I feel like this podcast is a little fake. I have never seen ghosts nor felt a 'strange presence'. I would not know what it actually feels like to be in a paranormal scene. Everyone interprets ghosts stories differently and different people form different opinions. Some people will believe and some won't. That's just a part of human nature.

The paranormal has always been a very controversial topic because no one can really prove or disapprove if it is real or not. In this case the science really is not there but I am a believer in life after death. It really has you think because they say matter can never be destroyed only transferred, so where does our matter go when we pass away? No one can really answer that question but in my mind i believe it still lingers around, which would explain the afterlife presence.

I have always been a skeptic of paranormal activity. The topic has always been fascinating to me, but there has just not been enough scientific evidence to prove anything. I think this podcast was definitely interesting because of the story Dennis told, and how he was convinced he was really speaking to his father until the flashlight trick was brought into light. I feel like sometimes people look for any sign to speak to people who have passed on, even though it's just a coincidence. The part about him having that same dream over one hundred times kind of freaked me out though.

This podcast was extremely entertaining because I have always been fascinated by the paranormal. Although I have never experience paranormal activity first hand, many of my close friends and family that I completely trust have. In addition I have watched countless paranormal investigating and ghost hunting shows. With this being said I am not 100% certain that paranormal activity and ghosts are real but after watching this podcast and hearing Dennis Conrow's story my doubt has certainly decreased. I would love to have Paranormal investigators come to my house and search for ghost so I too could experience the paranormal first hand and squash any doubt I may still have.

I enjoyed the open end of the podcast. There are two options to choose from and no way to choose which is the for sure right one. I've always wanted to believe in the paranormal but I've never had an experience that solidified my beliefs. Dennis seems to feel the same after being told that the flashlights have a scientific reason for going off. I personally believe that something more may have happened.

I enjoyed this episode whether all the science was 100% true or not. The emotion behind the death of Dennis' loved ones was incredible, and although I don't personally believe in all the paranormals behind this story, the true bravery of this man is touching. The ghost activity in this story is most likely bogus, and even though the "ghost hunters" are a fraud, the message of Dennis coming at peace with loved ones is amazing. The main point of this story is not to persuade the listener that there are spirits and ghosts, but to use ethos and pathos to connect with the listener to covey a greater message of the true value of family.

I love stories like this. The concept of 'life after death' and anything paranormal has always fascinated me. To experience something like that is truly an oddity, and I guess that's why I entertain this thought. I think it's sweet that he was able to 'communicate' with his recently deceased father and mother and get a sense of closure. It is a very controversial subject though; even Conrow knows it and doesn't accept his experiences as fact. it's a curious thought though, to see these people as "making sense of randomness." A very interesting story to hear about.

This was a really great story. It doesn't matter what was real and what wasn't. This was just an incredibly personal and emotional story. I can completely understand how Dennis could accept that the flashlights weren't in all likelihood being used by ghosts but still want to believe that he spoke with his parents on that day. Deep emotions and personal experiences that strong can't just be waved away because they don't really make sense. It doesn't matter whether ghosts are real or not. On that day, he really did speak to his parents and helped himself to move on from that old house.

I found this episode very interesting. I am a believer in spirits because of experiences my mother and I have had of old family members visiting us in dreams and found it amazing that he had dreams of his parents visiting. Even if he wasn't speaking to his parents through flashlights, I think the raw emotion felt was special. Im sure a lot of people have lost their parents unexpectedly and I think that was great closure for him. I loved this episode, science related or not.

I believe in ghosts to a certain extent. I don't think they can possess us or harm us but I think some people hang around instead of crossing over. For me the "other side" is heaven or hell. I believe in angels and demons completely. I have a guardian angel, my aunt. These ghost hunting shows have zero credibility. All of it can be faked, there is no proof that any of it is in fact real. I wish this episode had more science in it. More scientific explanations of these supernatural phenomenons. This episode is all about playing on emotions and whatever your personal belief is.

This episode of RadioLab had me hooked from start to finish. Although I have a hard time believing in paranormal activity, I felt that this episode had a much deeper meaning. I felt that the so-called "ghosts" were Dennis Conrow's worries, fears, and guilt lingering around the home he has spent too large of a majority of his life in. The thought-provoking, and touching story out of personal experience is one of the many strengths of this episode. The background noise and eerie music also added a great touch to the creepy feel of this!

I have listened to several of the other NPR podcasts and have enjoyed the science and knowledge I absorb from your programs but I am sad to say I did not find this one as amusing. It seemed slow to get to the point, although I will admit the background musical effects added to the experience. The man who this story was about was skeptical himself and that did not strengthen the attempted feel of mysterious or frightening. Although this factor made me want to keep listening to uncover the reasoning he had behind sharing his story. In the end it was revealed that there was, in fact, a scientific reason behind the flashlight trick but I honestly cannot stop pondering how the coincidence of both women telling him there was an odd presence in his kitchen near the basement and all of the other weird happenings. The best part was when the tech guy ran into something in the basement and it made a loud noise, that surly made me chuckle. In the end I felt bad for the guy because both his parents died from cancer and then he went through this strange experience. This piece was put out there to entertain and it did not do that for me but I hope others got a chill from it and I really appreciated the Halloween themed podcast.

The supernatural have always fascinated me and this story really hooks me in. I love the environment he creates when all the "ghost people" explain how they do things and how they connect with the dead. It was freaky how they used lights to communicate with them. I couldn't stop listening, because it was somewhat scary and funny to listen to. I couldn't help but be happy for the guy who connected with his parents. It was very emotional and kept me listening. But then when they talked about the flashlight really worked. It gave him comfort and peace.

I surmise 3 things…

1. I enjoyed the value of the storie... 100% science or not.

2. That the seemly randomness or happenstance in which any of the 3 flashlights "come back to life" is not random at all.

3. The way in which we derive "any spiritual meaning" from the order of the flashlights turning on & off, is based on the human desire to understand or make sense of our world.

When unscrewing or loosening the caps of 3 flashlights… it can be assumed that the amount of pressure between the plastic lens and the electrical contact will be different between all 3 flashlights. This means that one flashlight, will be more conducive to turning back on vs. the other two. In addition, the first flashlight that turns on, will be shown to be in the most precarious or teetering state as it relates to the potential for turning on and off again. As for the remaining 2 flashlights, one of the remainders will be in a more conducive state vs. the other.

Result:
The first flashlight that turns back on… will also be the flashlight that turns on/off with the greatest frequency.

Was it fortune, divine interaction or human interaction which created this shared experience for everyone?

There is no doubt in my mind, that human interaction played the largest role in creating this experience. Whether intentional or unintentional… I believe that the order in which the "Yes" and "No's" were applied to the flashlights; was based on a (conscious or subconscious) desire for achieving some type of absolution. Because an aspect of human nature is to make sense of our world… we will most always seek "Yes" answers to our questions, as "Yes" answers are more conclusive in nature than are "No's".

P.S. When speaking to spirits via this flashlight method… don't use LED flashlights… as they do not generate much heat and will no doubt frustrate the heck out of the spirits.

My own Dad just passed away on September 29th of Stage IV Prostate Cancer, and coincidentally also wanted to make sure me, his accountant son, had tools and some knowledge to tackle real home-ownership problems and he willed his tools to form a library for his children.

Not that I think my parent's house is haunted, but I really connected with the lead in.

For me the theme of this episode is how an experience can be meaningful and affecting even if it isn't real. Dennis had no interest in questioning the reality of it, even when he was given reason to think otherwise.

One thing that wasn't addressed was that it would not have been very difficult to make an educated guess which bedroom belonged to the homeowner, and having seen the room, which corner the bed was probably placed. It's little tricks and finesses like that that make "psychic" readings possible.

I don't know what I dislike more, psychics who don't really believe the things they say to wounded, vulnerable people, or psychics who do believe.

I have to admit, this freaked me out a little bit. I don't believe in this sort of stuff but I was alone at home at night listening to this and I had to turn on all the lights. I love hearing about experiences about this because they are so odd. It was interesting hearing about the entire conversation and some parts were a bit funny. I loved this show as usual.

Thanks for this. I'm leaving a comment mostly as a balance to the many negative comments. I've had a few great conversations with people based on this episode. I think that spirits are hokum, but clearly people are wired to believe in them. I found it interesting to wonder about the social or personal benefit of believing in stuff that we know doesn't exist. It's puzzling to me that so many people intentionally mislead themselves but it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

this episode was really interesting , I was also glad that it seemed as if the parents were talking to Dennis because it felt as if it was very self fulfilling for him .in a house for 8 years and having to move out and coming back should be awkward. . It sucks that he had to go back to that strange house, even though it was because of family. I feel bad for Dennis because I would be freaked out and wouldn't be able to come back to the house. to be honest it was good episode but very creepy.

When I heard the title RadioLab, I didn't know that it was supposed to deal with scientific topics. I've always thought it referred to the experimental sound of the show itself. I like all the stories. If you don't, then listen somewhere else. Nothing is served by derogatory comments.

I love RadioLab and enjoyed this episode, and I must say I am shocked by all the negative comments! It seems to me that people just didn't "get" the story, or else have incredibly small imaginations? Yes, the flashlight thing was a trick-- as they explained-- but the "truth" of the flashlight communication method was not the crux of the story. Rather, I thought the narrative clearly made the point that what haunted Dennis were his emotions, regrets, longing, missed opportunities...in other words, the house was haunted by Dennis's complicated connection to it and to his parents. I didn't think this episode even *tried* to make out that ghosts are objectively real (though I wouldn't have had a problem if they had, since that's how the ghost was experienced, but then I'm an anthropologist not a positivist scientist). I guess I just mean that the ghost of Dennis's father was real to Dennis, and that's what matters here. Their encounter, however it happened, provided meaning and closure for him: the poignancy of which is lost if the only possible explanation is a scientific one. Right? Is this just me?

It just seems that if Robert and Jad had gone on to interview an "expert" they would have been reducing the Dennis's experience to something that can be explained (away) by rationale science. Interesting to some I guess, but just not the point here. What I love about Radiolab is that they take on scientific questions as they are politically, ethically, and socially situated and leave listeners with as many questions as answers. That's an experience that rings true with how I experience the world.

Does anyone have any recommendations for good science podcasts? Perhaps one that is like Radiolab used to be.

Plenty of places on cable to see this type of story. Big fail as far as the mission of science journalism.

Can anyone tell me what the music was at the end ? Loved it and would like to hear more.

I'm very disappointed by this episode. I can't believe you take money from the National Science Foundation, and then put out this hokum. It's hard to think of it as a bit of Halloween fun, as psychics and ghost hunters are con artists, preying and profiting from people at their weakest moments. Shame on you for doing their marketing work.

Interesting episode. The paranormal don't really make sense, but this is crazy. I don't believe this type on stuff, but it kept my attention. The story itself was very well set up and the mix between audio was superb. It really had you thinking if this was a joke, or that something was really happening in the house. I liked it!

I enjoyed this episode- it kept me hooked from start to finish. The awesome blend of actual sound bites with the commentary helped keep in interesting. Personally, I don't believe in extrasensory perception or life after death, but this episode definitely makes one think! Regardless, it was a fascinating story. Whether or not it was actually the parents speaking from beyond the grave, it was still poignant to see them 'communicate' with Dennis.

Haunted or not, this episode was really interesting and captivating, I was also glad that it seemed as if the parents were talking to Dennis because it felt as if it was very self fulfilling for him and he could finally move on with his life and say good bye without any regrets. If I were Dennis, I would have been fairly disappointed to be told that the whole "flashlight talking" was just a phenomenon, because I would have wanted to have kept that as a significant memory, but I'm glad that he just accepted the fact that it was just a phenomenon but still wanted to remember it as something special. Even though it didn't include a lot of scientific details, it still gave me goosebumps and really intrigued me the whole time.

Radiolab listeners could be forgiven for thinking that their show had "jumped the shark" with its schmaltzy Halloween episode. Let's hope it hasn't.

I know this episode is Halloween-themed, but it could have used a lot more science (cognitive biases, projection) and insight into the methods of self-proclaimed psychics/mystics/etc. While some paranormal investigators may have a genuine scientific interest in mystical phenomena, psychics are unethical and irresponsible frauds that prey on desperate people in need of answers and they need to be treated as such.
By leaving the episode open-ended with a "you decide if it's real or not," Radiolab is irresponsibly legitimizing these predatory con-artists.

F minus guys

Great story, well told. However I was left wanting more...I wanted to learn (more) about the science behind what was happening (not just the flashlight explanation but also maybe the psychology that predisposes some to believe the paranormal) as well as the ethics of ghost hunting.

I can understand some RL fans not liking this episode and wanting to express it to the RL team but I don't get some of the venom expressed below.

The hating from commenters is creepier than the ghost story. Reductionism holds religion hostage one moment, then masquerades as science the next. Same psycho-emotional contraction operating both ways, eroding curiosity and humor. We're barely even at a place to appreciate how much we don't know. Look back at prevailing World Views 10,000 years ago, stay open to what our World Views might become over the next 10,000 years. Stay humble, hungry, grow into the mysteries instead of collapsing them into the limits of our small but wonderful present.

Hi guys, long time listener, first time commenter. I had to jump in to defend Radiolab. I think all the detractors commenting are missing the deeper level of this story. It COULD be that this guy who had lost his parents was talking to them through the flashlights, or it could be that the idea that he was finally motivated to do something with his life and this was the only way to gain closure on his parents approval. Regardless of whether paranormal events are real or a sham, the comfort of this child seeking a final approval of his parents was the real point of the story. Before commenting on how disappointed you are in Radiolab, consider the pain of losing both your parents pretty suddenly to cancer and then finding motivation to learn so many new skills and really turn your life around.

When he asks the room if Mom and Dad are proud of him, and the universe (plastic cooling in a flashlight, dead parents' energy manipulating the switches, the train going past and jiggling the flashlights) sent him a sign that he interpreted as yes, he gained closure. It's a beautiful story really.

Tried to fall asleep listening to this... had to hide under the covers... :P

Haunted houses are very strange. It's weird to live in a house for 8 years and having to move out because the house has a weird vibe in it. It stinks that he had to go back to that strange house, even though it was because of family. I feel bad for Dennis because I would be freaked out and wouldn't be able to come back to the house. The house seemed to have its own "feelings" because it didn't seem to want to let him move out or even clean it out. Even redoing the house, the house didn't want that. At night, the house haunted his dreams with memories of his parents. I wouldn't be able to live in that house. When he put the house up for sale, a girl wanted to look around and when she did, she felt a weird presence. Even the realtor said the house was haunted when there was an "open house".

Evidently people have forgotten the 'about' this show description: “Radiolab is a show about curiosity. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience.”

If this doesn’t qualify for 'blurred lines' between the three stated goals of the show, I don't know what does!

I'm surprised at the number of negative comments, saying this podcast is not scientific enough, and stating that they know the "ghost busters" were frauds, unethical (etc.), and that discussing "paranormal" events is unscientific. The high degree of certainty seems more suitable in a fundamentalist church than in the Radiolab audience.

That said, the exploration of what science might have to say about the man's experience is woeful. But, as some commenters have pointed out, it's hard to prove that the paranormal or supernatural is OR is not true - neither is in science's scope. Even an excellent scientific explanation of an unusual event can never prove there's no paranormal or supernatural.

I am a skeptic, but I do not have the dangerous certainty of fundamentalists, whether of the religious or political stripe. If I become unable to admit that I might be wrong (and the other guy is right), I will no longer qualify as a skeptic.

Loved it! Very fun! It does stray from your norm'... but what a fun ride! Hope you do another one next Halloween!

The whole "recording" was acted. Why else do you think the guy would have said out loud about what was going on in the room (flashlights getting very bright, etc) and the easily explained jump scare mid-story. It's not that there were a group of people conning a man. There was a radio show "conning" it's audience.

Having said that, I haven't enjoyed a good ghost story like this in a long time. Thanks for the entertainment. xoxo

This episode was great! What I found most surprising were the Coments! I love your programs but I didn't realize how many narrow minded people are listening ( or, at least commenting).
Keep up the good work! I love you guys!

You should be ashamed for putting out this piece of crap. Promoting sharlatins who pray on people who have lost love ones is a new low. Thank you for dumbing down our country even more. I am writing your sponsors, The National Science Foundation and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and recommend that the spend their money on "The Skeptics Guide to the Universe" podcast instead of the garbage you put out this week. I can not tell you how disappointed I am in both of you. You have lost all of your credibility. What's next, Bigfoot, UFO's? How sad.

I loved the episode. Telling creepy tall tales is the whole point of halloween. Sometimes it's not about how true something is, but the journey of the story. You should do what you want to do in your own style, because I feel that's what makes your show unique.

Oh Radiolab,

As a fan of many years of your podcast, I'm sad to find myself writing a bit of a disappointed comment regarding this episode and, for the first two thirds of the show, what seemed to be a complete lack of the scientific rigor that I've come to expect from your podcast. I'm glad you ended up including the explanation behind the easily debunkable natural phenomenon of the flickering flashlights, but I feel like this sensible answer got sandwiched in between paranormal nonsense so as to get clouded and lost by the average listener and you missed the opportunity to talk about "confirmation bias" which almost certainly caused the "coincidences" to seem as though they had meaning from an active spirit agent. You've developed a well-deserved reputation has being an intelligent, thoughtful, science-promoting website, and I've recommended your show to many others based on that reputation, but giving credence to such utter bunk gives me pause before recommending again.

On the whole, I do love the show and think you do amazing work.

I don't listen to radiolab to hear of supernatural nonsense. Even the flashlight explanation at the end was a band-air on a sucking chest wound.
Disappointed in you Radiolab.

Loved the episode. Don't believe in ghosts or the paranormal...but I always run up the stairs after turning off the basement light...hmmm....
Keep up the great work!

I would love to see more pictures of this house, of this story.

It's a Halloween episode people, calm down.

What a great episode! We live in a universe of Supersymmetry, quantum chromodynamics, String harmonics, compact dimension.. the list goes on of things we barely understand. Why not?

This story does NOT explore the curiosity that is the human experience. It explores the curiosity that is the willingness of a group of people to deliberately attempt to make a fool of Dennis at a weak moment in his life. There's a special word for people like that.

There are plenty of other podcasts that this story would shoehorn nicely into, like This American Life, but not in a podcast that is grounded in the realm of science and the real world. Ghosts are not real. That's why there are so many negative comments.

I don't think that this episode is terrible per se. The last few minutes of the episode where they break down the science of how the flashlight trick works, and discuss how we ascribe meaning to random events saved it from being ridiculous ghost story. If this were a full length radio episode I would certainly hope that Jad and Robert would get an expert to talk about how we tend to see meaning in random events, but since it's just a short podcast episode I don't mind so much. I really hope that this type of story doesn't become a trend. Showing how a personal story relates to bigger scientific ideas is what I really like about Radiolab, but when the show heads off into fantasy land, with no science in sight, I get really irritated.

I found this episode interesting and, as always, well told. The ability to make a well-flowing, insightful, thought-provoking, or touching story out of personal experience is one of the many strengths of Radiolab. I'm surprised to see negative comments. The story of Dennis Conrow gently explores the curiosity that is the human experience, as is the case with most episodes. I enjoyed the exploration, and the idea of ghosts or hauntings is always interesting as life (or not) after death continues to be a mystery. This topic was what I was in the mood for on this October 31st. Thanks guys!

100% con job, although since the "investigators" receive no money, it's hard to call it a con, so what their motivation is, is confounding. The very moment the ghost hunters unscrewed the tops of the flashlights to just barely avoid the metal contact, it was obvious that the experience was rigged. So, in their minds, ghosts have a hard time sliding a flashlight switch, so you need to make it as easy as possible for them, but one moment later, they totally believe that the ghosts are moving kitchen pots and pans around in the other room. Ghosts can move around large kitchen utensils, but can't slide a flashlight switch? Come on RadioLab! I listen to these podcasts because I love science and how it works in our world. There have only been a few episodes that have pissed me off, and they're always the ones where Robert has interjects his belief that the Bible is real, and in the comment sections, many others have the same reaction when he pushes supernatural thinking into grounded science. Robert must have loved this episode. Please, please, please, stick to science, and leave religion and all things supernatural and fictitious out of the conversation. Love the podcasts!

People please - it was completely bogus. The 'ghost hunters' were controlling it from the next room. This is not rocket science. There has never been, and never will be, a real paranormal experience. Accept it.

I'm a sceptic, and think it is interesting to hear a story from a different perspective, but still this episode really annoys me, and its' not really in the radiolab spirit (pun intended). You don't really ask a lot of the most obvius questions, and when you say its less likely to be a hoax because he got a yes, the answer he wanted, your on really thin ice. It is kind of common knowledge that Mediums and such gives the answers people would like to hear; then they want to belive the answer. Could have been a good episode, but you didn't really explore the subject. Lets forget abot this episode and look forward to the next one.

"It doesn't matter if its real or not, life is about experiences and doing what you love."

Yeah, screw reality! What this world needs now more than ever is more self-deception and superstitious nonsense.

paranormal crapola? Not really an exploration befitting a Lab, maybe RadioHippsterCoffeeHouse would be more accurate.

This is obvious fakery and a cruel trick to play on an orphaned man. The "ghost hunters" deserve to be ridiculed and vilified for what they perpetrate on innocent people. Saying that it's harmless doesn't absolve them of the fraud and indecent nature of their 'work'.

I thought this was a really good episode. I'm a skeptic on this things and realize how silly those ghost hunters type shows are. However, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the telling of one man's experience and how it helped him make a type of peace with his deceased loved ones.

Well done episode, Radiolab.

I totally disagree with Jim's comment. This was a superb episode! I have known quite a few ghost hunters and went with them a few times. It doesn't matter if its real or not, life is about experiences and doing what you love. Great Job RL!

Worst episode to this date. I get the premise, but go to therapy or personally remorse their deaths instead of enabling ghost hunters.