What Is Pariodolia?

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Pariodolia refers to a situation where there's an ambiguous stimulus of some sort. People can perceive something very, very clearly and distinctly in there. We are constantly scanning our environment for possible threats during everyday life. And we may end up seeing and hearing things that aren't actually really there.

While telling ghost stories has always been a favourite pastime for many, during the pandemic signs of paranormal activity have reportedly been on the rise. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Prof Chris French about why more of us may have been having eerie experiences, how to explain these phenomena scientifically, and why – even among nonbelievers – ghost stories are still as popular as ever. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod