EARTH NARROWLY ESCAPES COLLISION WITH LARGE ASTEROID

MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti) – A 15-meter (approximately 50 feet) asteroid, similar to the one that exploded above Russia in February, was detected hours before it narrowly missed the Earth over the weekend, Russian scientists said.

Asteroid detected by Sternberg Astronomical Institute

Vladimir Lipunov of the Moscow State University and the Sternberg Astronomical Institute said on Sunday a network of telescopes operated by his team recorded a celestial body approaching the planet.

"[The asteroid] was discovered on Friday night by our station near Lake Baikal and nine hours later it flew within 11,300 kilometers of the Earth surface, below the orbit of geostationary satellites. It was about 15 meters in size,” he said.

The scientists originally thought that it could be a man-made object, such as a spent rocket booster, but rejected the idea when they couldn’t find a match in the space junk catalogue.
Lipunov said his team had notified the International Astronomical Union of their discovery, but it is yet to be confirmed.

A meteorite exploded on February 15 above the Urals city of Chelyabinsk. The meteorite weighed 10,000 tons prior to the explosion, according to expert estimates. About 1,500 people were injured in the blast, most of them by glass shattered by the shockwave.

Source rian.ru

Sometimes you wonder whether the Earth has it`s own space guardians, especially when you consider how many near collisions the earth has faced through history. The worst being the Tunguska event, which occurred in 1908, and caused mass devastation of a sparsely populated area of Russian, Siberia. Entire forests for many miles, flattened and broken by the force of the impact explosion.

GHOSTS AND CELEBRITIES

Have you ever heard something go bump in the night, see a strange dark shadow out of the corner of your eye, or just come face to face with what you believe is some sort of ghostly spirit?

If you have ever endured some sort of paranormal encounter then take comfort in knowing that the spirit world also on occasion stops by to visit with some of the biggest names in Hollywood also.

Here is a list of the top five biggest celebrity ghost stories to enjoy.


5. Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson, the daughter of celebrity actress Goldie Hawn and known for her hit film “How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days” reveals that while she was filming the horror thriller “Skeleton Key” she had a ghostly encounter of her own.

Hudson claims that she has seen a ghost with no face, which paranormal activity specialist call a “ghostly archetype.” Kate stated that she came in contact with this ghost several times, Kate believes she has also been visited by the spirit of her grandmother, who is watching out for her from beyond.




4. Nicholas Cage

Nic Cage claims that he also has several ghostly tales but the one that comes to his mind first involves the time he was vacationing at Francis Ford Coppola’s home in Napa.

Cage claims he was staying in the attic bedroom at the estate when he was visited by the ghost of a woman with a big teased up hair style. Cage claims his first thought was that he was being visited by his dead aunt, until she got to close to him and left the “Face Off” star frightened beyond belief.




3. Matthew McConaughey

McConaughey confessed he was was visited by a ghost, and that it really “freaked” him out back in 2003.the “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” star described the encounter saying that he kept hearing noises that sounded like someone was dropping a dime from the ceiling to the floor.

Matthew stated he jumped from his bed and began searching room to room for whatever was making the ghostly noises.Now he claims he is at ease with his ghost and even named her calling her Madame Blue, and he says reveals that they all get along very well together.



2. Keanu Reeves

Reeves claims that his ghost tale is fairly simple, but equally creepy. Keanu claims that when he was just a
small child of five, he and his sister had a run in with a ghost that was haunting their home, describing it as a ghostly apparition who was wearing a double-breasted suit, the spirit however had no legs.








1. Anna Nicole Smith

We saved the oddest celebrity ghost encounter for last and it involves the late Anna Nicole Smith. Those of you who are familiar with the eccentricities of the deceased model know that Anna did not do anything in her life in a small nature.

So, not only was Ann Nicole Smith being haunted by a spirit she claims she was also having sex with her ghostly visitor, who she first thought was a deceased boyfriend from her past, she late reveals that it was not a familiar past spirit, but a spirit that she became intimately familiar with, who she also stated was a great lover!

There you have it the five top celebrity ghost encounters.

Source: HollywoodNewsDaily

SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEAD - PART ONE

TONIGHT:

September 27th, 2013 at 11pm GMT or 6pm EST, is the release of a new video, which is a joint collaboration with Adam Heath, and his own long established investigation team, (FPI) Forest Paranormal Investigations.

FPI investigate properties and locations around the Forest of Dean and also in the Wye valley on the English/Welsh borders. Their work can be found here on Youtube: Forestparanormal

FPI are primarily a technical team set up to investigate paranormal activity using varied proven techniques and methods. And as you will see, the presence of both Haunted Earth and FPI made an explosive investigation!

It is said that the divide between spirit and our world is less than the thickness of a cigarette paper. It is also said by others that there is no evidence of the paranormal.

That sentiment is understandable if the viewer bases his or her own experiences on some questionable video activities distributed on many sharing sites. But once in a while a very special video on the paranormal appears.

This video is of what at first seems to be a routine day investigation of a 17th century former coaching inn, known as `The Angel` hotel, of Coleford, Gloucestershire.

Invited by Adam & Paula Heath of (FPI) Forest Paranormal Investigations to share an investigation of a building which they have methodically mapped for activity over some considerable time.

Some of those earlier experiences are shown on screen during interviews with Adam, and two hotel workers. One, a girl called Abi, appears to be a favourite of `Jack`, as at varying points in this video he indicates that, and also in Part 2, where he actually calls her by name through a ghost box session.

Part 2 will be available within two weeks.

VIDEO LINKS ACTIVE FROM 11pm GMT

Youtube link - Suitable for most computers.



Vimeo link - Suitable for faster or newer computers.




Part One

After some minutes from the start inside the darkened `Magnums` night club, a presence made itself known by growling on camera, and then straight after by ripping off the front of an IR lamp which stood alone on a nearby shelf.

Some of the investigators. Left to right (facing)
Adam Heath (FPI), Chris Halton, Paula Heath (FPI)
Front kneeling - Sean Kim (Haunted Earth)

Very soon responses were recorded on three K2 EMF meters, and unbeknown to us at the time, EVP in the form of a man`s voice was recorded answering questions from the assembled investigators.

It had been previously established by FPI that this presence was a spirit of a man called, `Jack`, who doesn`t like male company, but clearly loved girls as he admits on this video in the form of an almost Class A EVP!


Throughout the long session with `Jack`, it was wholly apparent that we were dealing with a sentient being, clearly aware of us, and with the ability to interact.

In this soon to be released edited version of that long afternoon investigation, you will quite simply be amazed by the activity in this frenetic, and very haunted hotel.

Each room was just as fascinating as the next, and the activity did not wane at all.

Our next point of contact was with a previously identified spirit of a woman called, `Catherine`, and in her bedroom in the very haunted `Royal Rooms`, she makes intelligent contact with the earlier K2`s used to contact `Jack`. It`s worth noting that one of the K2`s was Haunted Earth`s own, and recorded reactions with the FPI, K2`s.

And after this intensive session we make our way to the next room where something unexpected is discovered on the hotel staircase ..

More video to share in Part 2 - Some Conversations With the Dead ..

NEW YOUTUBE/GOOGLE + LINK FOR HAUNTED EARTH TV

Google+ and Youtube appear to be slowly merging into one platform, if this recent re-vamp is any indication.
For those of you who would like to connect with my work through this link, please add to your circles today.
And check out the page!

Google+ and Youtube - Haunted Earth

GHOST BOY `PHOTO BOMBS` WAR MEMORIAL PHOTOGRAPH

Here is an exclusive report.

On the great chalk cliffs that range along the Kent coast near Folkestone, is the current site of the RAF Battle of Britain memorial at Capel-le-Ferne.

The coastline of Kent had played a vital role in the defence of Britain during many past european conflicts, and from the age of Bonaparte there was considerable military activity through both world wars.

The site had seen action during WW1 as an airship station, and during WW2 as an anti-aircraft gun battery.
Many civilians died in this area during WW2 during the frequent and heavy bombing raids, but it`s main role was during the Battle of Britain when every gun and every aircraft available fought a brave and heroic campaign against far superior enemy forces, that officially lasted from July 10th to October 31st 1940.

Although I can find no references to any ghostly history, people have apparently felt presences around the memorial, and particularly during quiet periods from tourist activity.

Recently, the site was visited by friends of Haunted Earth, who took a series of photographs.
As with many images taken on days out, the majority caught on camera what was actually seen at the time until this image was taken against the memorial.

Who is the little boy?

 In this image, you will see the photographer, Gill taking a picture of the marble memorial which, highly polished, has reflected from the stone. This accounts for the mass of tiny grey dots. To the right (facing) is her companion, Allan, and quite unexpectedly for both, the head of a small boy who appears to be `photo bombing` the image. (Bottom left).

The actual memorial wall the image was taken against

Both people present have said that this little boy wasn`t present when the image was taken, and for him to be in the image is impossible, as Gill stood within 2` of the the wall. They also state that this little boy was not seen at any point - before or after.
So who is the little boy?
I can find no history of him as a haunting, yet clearly here he is as in life - almost!
Allan has put a heavy gamma mix on the photograph and you`ll note that both adults faces are blurred, whilst the boy`s image has reacted quite differently. But still showing detail.

The image manipulated through a gamma setting.

Ghost or not, it`s your choice to decide. The photographer and her companion are respectable people and are genuine subscribers to the study of paranormal activity.
I personally believe their account, and hopefully, a spectral analysis of the history might one day reveal who this little boy was. And what is it with his eyes??

My thanks to Gill D and Allan S.

If you have a great story with photographs, please contact me.

Story: Chris Halton

GHOSTLY FIGURE SEEN IN LARGE HOUSE BLAZE

Sometimes some very odd situations occur when the media cover a fire.
Here is a photograph taken by WGHP 8, at High Point, North Carolina, USA.  A pyromaniac has been setting things on fire all over the neighborhood which resulted in damaged and destroyed homes. The newsman for WGHP 8 had gone behind the townhouses to take a picture of the fire from the rear, and in doing so captured an image which at first glance looks quite unsurprising until you look inside the drawn circle on the left. Quite clearly you can see a fiery figure casually walking away.

Here is the same photograph - but more closer to the figure.

And here is a darkened version to show the fire object much more closely.

Is this merely the brain effect known as `pareidolia` , (where the human mind subconsciously redefines shapes into instantly recognisable objects) or was this a spiritual presence?

The sender points out that the figure appears to be holding a fiery staff of some description.

Whatever the true origins of the figure is, we will never know. But for the sake of one strange photograph, we have something quite remarkable.

My thanks to the submitter, Jeannie M.

Story: Chris Halton.

EXPLOSIVE NEW PARANORMAL TWO-PART INVESTIGATION VIDEO FROM HAUNTED EARTH!

This Friday, September 27th, 2013 at 11pm GMT or 6pm EST, is the release of a new video, which is a joint collaboration with Adam Heath, and his own long established investigation team, (FPI) Forest Paranormal Investigations.

FPI investigate properties and locations around the Forest of Dean and also in the Wye valley on the English/Welsh borders. Their work can be found here on Youtube: Forestparanormal
FPI are primarily a technical team set up to investigate paranormal activity using varied proven techniques and methods. And as you will see, the presence of both Haunted Earth and FPI made an explosive investigation!

It is said that the divide between spirit and our world is less than the thickness of a cigarette paper. It is also said by others that there is no evidence of the paranormal.

That sentiment is understandable if the viewer bases his or her own experiences on some questionable video activities distributed on many sharing sites. But once in a while a very special video on the paranormal appears.

This video is of what at first seems to be a routine day investigation of a 17th century former coaching inn, known as `The Angel` hotel, of Coleford, Gloucestershire.

Invited by Adam & Paula Heath of (FPI) Forest Paranormal Investigations to share an investigation of a building which they have methodically mapped for activity over some considerable time.

Some of those earlier experiences are shown on screen during interviews with Adam, and two hotel workers. One, a girl called Abi, appears to be a favourite of `Jack`, as at varying points in this video he indicates that, and also in Part 2, where he actually calls her by name through a ghost box session.

Part 2 will be available within two weeks.

The investigation:



Previously shared trailer.

Part One

After some minutes from the start inside the darkened `Magnums` night club, a presence made itself known by growling on camera, and then straight after by ripping off the front of an IR lamp which stood alone on a nearby shelf.

Very soon, responses were recorded on three K2 EMF meters, and unbeknown to us at the time, EVP in the form of a man`s voice was recorded answering questions from the assembled investigators.

It had been previously established by FPI that this presence was a spirit of a man called, `Jack`, who doesn`t like male company, but clearly loved girls as he admits on this video in the form of an almost Class A EVP!

Throughout the long session with `Jack`, it was wholly apparent that we were dealing with a sentient being, clearly aware of us, and with the ability to interact.

In this soon to be released edited version of that long afternoon investigation, you will quite simply be amazed by the activity in this frenetic, and very haunted hotel.

Each room was just as fascinating as the next, and the activity did not wane at all.



Previously shared segment inside the `Royal Rooms`.

Our next point of contact was with a previously identified spirit of a woman called, `Catherine`, and in her bedroom in the very haunted `Royal Rooms`, she makes intelligent contact with the earlier K2`s used to contact `Jack`. It`s worth noting that one of the K2`s was Haunted Earth`s own, and recorded reactions with the FPI, K2`s.

And after this intensive session we make our way to the next room where something unexpected is discovered on the hotel staircase ..

Here is a British television program link to the series, `Great British Ghosts`, where presenter, Michaela Strachan visits the hotel to meet up with Adam Heath (FPI) who shares the haunted locations, and some experiences.



Remember, to view this amazing video, you will find the links available on this site at 11pm (GMT) 6pm (EST), on Friday, September 27th 2013.

My open thanks to all Forest Paranormal members, and the staff at `The Angel Hotel`, Coleford who made this investigation possible.

Chris Halton

HAVE BRITISH SCIENTISTS ACCIDENTALLY BROUGHT ALIEN LIFE TO EARTH?

This `fossil` was  previously claimed in 2011 to be evidence of space bacteria and of course, life

Scientists from the University of Sheffield believe they may have inadvertently brought life from space back to Earth.

A team from the department of molecular biology and biotechnology sent a balloon 27km into the stratosphere during the recent Perseid meteor shower.

On its return, they found it contained small organisms that hadn't been there before.

The recent Perseid meteor shower

Professor Milton Wainwright, who led the team, insists the organisms did not simply drift up from the Earth's surface.

"It is generally accepted that a particle of the size found cannot be lifted from Earth to heights of, for example, 27km," he said.

"In the absence of a mechanism by which large particles like these can be transported to the stratosphere, we can only conclude that the biological entities originated from space.

"Our conclusion then is that life is continually arriving to Earth from space. Life is not restricted to this planet and it almost certainly did not originate here."

He acknowledged that the consequences of this theory could be revolutionary.

"If life does continue to arrive from space then we have to completely change our view of biology and evolution," Professor Wainwright added. "New textbooks will have to be written!"

The balloon was launched near Chester and returned to the ground near Wakefield.

An unidentified organism brought back on the balloon

It carried microscope studs which were only exposed to the atmosphere when the balloon reached heights of between 22 and 27km.

On examination, the studs were found to have captured a fragment of some diatoms - a major group of algae - along with some unusual biological entities from the stratosphere.

Precautions were taken against the possibility of the studs being contaminated during sampling and processing.

In an attempt to confirm their findings, the team will repeat the experiment next month, to coincide with a meteorite shower associated with Halley's Comet, when there will be large amounts of cosmic dust in the stratosphere.

It is hoped that more new, or unusual, organisms will be found.

The university team's findings have been published in the Journal of Cosmology.

BRITISH BELIEVERS IN THE PARANORMAL ON THE INCREASE - NEW STUDY SHOWS.

There may have been centuries of sightings with no proof of their existence, but a new study suggests belief in ghosts is growing in the UK.

More than half of those taking part (52 per cent) said they believed in the supernatural, a marked increase on the two previous comparable studies, in 2009 and 2005, which both found a level of around 40 per cent.

The survey also found that one in five claimed to have had some sort of paranormal experience.

Interest in the supernatural has become big business in recent years, with the popularity of television shows like Most Haunted, which starred Yvette Fielding, and the spread of so-called “ghost walks” around supposedly haunted parts of city centres. English Heritage (EH) and the National Trust have both begun to attract people to their properties by identifying which ones are said to be occupied by ghosts, among them Blickling Hall, in Norfolk, Dunster Castle, in Somerset, and Dover Castle, in Kent. EH even conducted a “spectral stocktake” of “hauntings” and unexplained events recorded at its sites.

The new study was carried out for the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena (Assap), for its annual conference.

Dave Wood

Dave Wood, chairman of the group, which is dedicated to the study of a wide range of unexplained experiences – from supposed hauntings to UFO sightings – said: “The rise in the numbers believing in ghosts is a surprise, and is significantly higher than what we consider to have been the historical average.

“It could be that in a society which has seen economic uncertainty and is dominated by information and technology, more people are seeking refuge in the paranormal, whereas in the past they might have sought that in religion.”

Among notable personalities said to have encountered ghosts is Winston Churchill, who is on a long list of people reported to have seen an apparition of former US president Abraham Lincoln, in the White House.

But while belief in ghosts is rising, the study, conducted by polling company YouGov, suggests a fall in the numbers prepared to accept the existence of UFOs, from 52 per cent to 39 per cent, in 2008. The data also found that one in five claimed to have had some sort of paranormal experience.

Mr Wood added: “We have felt that a belief in UFOs has been declining for some time. I think a belief in ghosts is easier to sustain. Most people will know someone they respect who claims to have some sort of experience. That is no longer the case with UFOs.”

It comes at a time when Ufology – the study of UFOs – is said to be in decline. Last year, the Assap held a meeting to address the apparent crisis, and revealed that the number of its UFO cases had dropped by 96 per cent since 1988. In 2009, the Ministry of Defence closed its own UFO unit after ruling that, in more than 50 years of monitoring, it had found “no evidence” they pose a threat to the UK.

Mr Wood also expressed surprise at the findings that belief in ghosts and UFOs was higher in women (63 per cent and 41 per cent, respectively), than among men (42 per cent and 36 per cent). In both categories, the least likely to be believers were the youngest polled, 18 to 24 year olds.

Speakers at the conference, at the University of Bath, last week included former MP Lembit Öpik, and Reece Shearsmith, creator of The League of Gentleman, as well as university lecturers and experts on folklore, ghosts, UFOs, and even bigfoot, the creature said to live in the north west of the US.

The organisation, which describes itself as an education and research charity, was established in 1981. Its first president was Michael Bentine, the comedian and member of the Goons.

It contains both sceptics and believers in UFOs and has been involved in several notable sightings and theories over the years.

Lionel Fanthorpe

Its current President Lionel Fanthorpe has claimed in its journal that King Arthur was an alien who came to Earth to save humans from invading extraterrestrials.
The poll covered more than 2,000 people, and the figures weighted to make the study representative of the population.

Source: Telegraph

AVEBURY - THE LEGEND OF THE STONES

During my very recent visit to Wales and the Forest Of Dean in Gloucestershire, England, I visited in company with Sean Kim from Haunted Earth, the famous Avebury Stone Circle.

This was a very spiritual moment for me, and along with the many hundreds of tourists, I was hugging those stones too!  Such a terrific energy encompasses this site, and if you have the opportunity as I had, you must visit this location - if only to admire these gargantuan`s.

YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK - Suitable for most machines.




VIMEO VIDEO LINK - Higher quality, suits faster or newer machines.


AVEBURY - THE LEGEND OF THE STONES - DOCUMENTARY from Haunted Earth Tv on Vimeo.

As a documentary film maker, I wanted also to share the ghostly legends attached to the Red Lion pub by filming in an empty bar there, (where a woman was drowned in a well - and haunts the bar) but the Assistant Manager (who would only speak to me through a barman, and never in person) informed me that such activities were strictly forbidden under company policy.

The haunted well where video camera`s aren`t allowed ..

Initially I was told that I couldn't take any images either, but they relented when the listening crowd of tourists and other patrons in the bar became concerned that they were to be denied the opportunity of taking some holiday pictures.

 I am surprised sometimes by the over-reactions I receive from some people when I propose an opportunity to not only shoot, but to give themselves free publicity.
It certainly would not have been inconveniencing to their business, and I wouldn't have troubled them.

In any case, I also realise that they are also free to run their business as they see fit.

If you own, or have access to an interesting historic and haunted building, please let me know, as I may cover it in a future presentation.

In any case, I hope you enjoy this video, and comment and/or show your approval.

A trailer for a future presentation is down below.

A NEW HAUNTED EARTH SHOW FROM A VERY ANCIENT PLACE

Coming this Saturday night ( September 14th, 2013) at 11pm GMT (6pm EST), is the very latest haunted earth video from revered and ancient Avebury.

The video includes a tour of some of the site which is over a mile (1.6 kilometres) in diameter.
Included in the video is a site history, and a visit to the local medieval church of St James, where some strange activity was recorded to camcorder.

All this and more from this blog site, and streamed through Youtube and Vimeo.

UNKNOWN AND ANCIENT LIFE-FORMS FOUND IN ANTARTICA

Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey have found life in mud samples at the bottom of a sub-glacial lake in Antarctica. They found microbes dating back almost 100,000 years as well as organisms previously unknown to science.

The research team from the British Antarctic Survey and the universities of Northumbria and Edinburgh made their astonishing discovery at Lake Hodgson on the Antarctic Peninsula, and published their findings online in the journal Diversity.

During the last Ice Age the lake was covered by more than 400 meters of ice, but the ice sheet is becoming more exposed and is retreating and melting at an unprecedented rate. Due to rising temperatures in Antarctica, the emerging sub-glacial lake now has a thin covering of just 3 to 4 meters.

The team used a “clean core” drill style and used sterilized equipment to avoid possible contamination. They burrowed into and sampled sediments at the bottom of the lake, which is 93 meters deep and about 1.5 kilometers long by 1.5 kilometers wide.

The lake was believed to be too harsh an environment for any forms of life to survive, but the team found that many species of microbes were thriving in the extreme climate of the lake’s sediments.

The top few centimeters of the core contained current and recent organisms, but the layers of mud at the bottom represent a time capsule containing the DNA of microbes that have lived there throughout the millennia. Once the core reached a depth of 3.2 meters, the microbes dated back nearly 100,000 years.

“The fact that these organisms have survived in such a unique environment could mean they have developed in unique ways which could lead to exciting discoveries for us. This is the early stage and we now need to do more work to further investigate these life forms,” lead researcher David Pearce said in a statement.

The team found life in the form of fossil DNA, including a range of extremophiles, a species adapted to the most extreme environments, which use a variety of chemical methods to sustain life without oxygen.

One of the DNA sequences was related to one of the most ancient forms of life known on earth, but over 20 percent of organisms are previously unknown.

Twenty-three percent of this diversity could only be identified to “unidentified bacterium.” Many of these species are likely to be completely new to science.

“What was surprising was the high biomass diversity we found. This is the first time microbes have been identified living in the sediments of a sub-glacial Antarctic lake and indicates that life can exist and potentially thrive in environments we would consider too extreme,” Pearce said.

The discovery provides an insight into how life developed thousands of years ago in complete isolation from the rest of life on earth.

Antarctic environments are also sometimes compared to life on environments such as that on Europa, an ice-covered moon of Jupiter where it is suspected life might exist.

But even finding life in Antarctica is not easy. A previous British expedition to Lake Ellsworth was called off late last year due to technical difficulties, while a Russian-led project that has sampled life in Lake Vostok has also reported finding signs of life.  A US expedition which sampled the environment of Lake Whillans on the edge of an Antarctic ice sheet has yet to report its findings.

Source: RT.com

This is partly a `smoke and mirror` attack on those that discredit the `global warming` theory. The actual ice is starting to thicken up, and has been for some years. Even NASA admitted as such. The global climate is getting cooler, which is a perfectly normal phenomenon, and not something to be alarmed about.
As it was, the team had to drill through ancient layers of ice to meet the liquified lake water. This is   (I am assured) perfectly normal.

MORBIDLY DECORATED `SAINTS` AND THE CHURCH OF ROME

St Valerius in Weyarn: Art historian Paul Koudounaris hunted down
and photographed dozens of gruesome skeletons in some of the world's most secretive
 religious establishments

A relic hunter dubbed 'Indiana Bones' has lifted the lid on a macabre collection of 400-year-old jewel-encrusted skeletons unearthed in churches across Europe.
Art historian Paul Koudounaris hunted down and photographed dozens of gruesome skeletons in some of the world's most secretive religious establishments.
Incredibly, some of the skeletons, said to be the remains of early Christian martyrs, were even found hidden away in lock-ups and containers.

They are now the subject of a new book, which sheds light on the forgotten ornamented relics for the first time.

Thousands of skeletons were dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and installed in towns around Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the orders of the Vatican.They were sent to Catholic churches and religious houses to replace the relics destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.

Mistaken for the remains of early Christian martyrs, the morbid relics, known as the Catacomb Saints, became shrines reminding of the spiritual treasures of the afterlife.

They were also symbols of the Catholic Church's newly found strength in previously Protestant areas.

Each one was painstakingly decorated in thousands of pounds worth of gold, silver and gems by devoted followers before being displayed in church niches.

Some took up to five years to decorate.

They were renamed as saints, although none of them qualified for the title under the strict rules of the Catholic church which require saints to have been canonised.
But by the 19th century they had become morbid reminders of an embarrassing past and many were stripped of their honours and discarded.
Mr Koudounaris' new book, Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs, is the first time the skeletons have appeared in print.
Mr Koudounaris, from Los Angeles, said: 'I was working on another book looking into charnel houses when I came across the existence of these skeletons.
'As I discovered more about them I had this feeling that it was my duty to tell their fascinating story.

'After they were found in the Roman catacombs the Vatican authorities would sign certificates identifying them as martyrs then they put the bones in boxes and sent them northwards.
'The skeletons would then be dressed and decorated in jewels, gold and silver, mostly by nuns.
'They had to be handled by those who had taken a sacred vow to the church - these were believed to be martyrs and they couldn't have just anyone handling them.
'They were symbols of the faith triamphant and were made saints in the municipalities.
'One of the reasons they were so important was not for their spiritual merit, which was pretty dubious, but for their social importance.
'They were thought to be miraculous and really solidified people's bond with a town. This reaffirmed the prestige of the town itself.'
He added: 'It's impossible to put a modern-day value on the skeletons.'

Source: DailyMail

My View:

Looking at the strange obsession the Church of Rome had with dead bodies, and the decoration of skeletons using gold and jewellery, it is no wonder that the majority of Western Europeans wanted to break away from it`s influence.
Looking at the remains in this photograph, one could be forgiven into thinking that the Catholic Church was once a `death cult` rather than focussing on the needs of the living. Very disturbing.

A REAL AND DIRECT INTERVIEW WITH A GHOST

Extreme hauntings - The Angel Hotel, in Coleford, Gloucestershire.

During my recent trip down to meet our friends Adam and Paula Heath of Forest Paranormal Investigations (FPI) in the Forest of Dean, we visited the premises of  the historic Angel Hotel, in Coleford, Gloucestershire.



The hotel has been part of a long term study by FPI, who have interacted with a number of presences in the building, and one in particular who `resides` in a hotel room. The interview was not only fascinating, but offers to an open minded sceptic, the opportunity to see direct contact in action via three free-standing K2 EMF meters, which lit up when affirmative responses were registered through the units diode lights ..

Adam Heath (FPI) with the ruined IR light

During our daytime filming there, `unseen hands` in our presence literally trashed before our eyes in a darkened dance area, a large IR illuminator unit in the form of a flashlight. Our attention was drawn to the object by a loud crash as the lens and cover were thrown onto the floor. On closer examination, the internal electronics were ripped out and left hanging from the case. Nobody present were anywhere near the unit when it was damaged.

While there, we also performed a `Ghost Box` session which like the K2 incident produced a number of very interesting responses which will be included in the investigation video.

I have to admit, FPI`s usage of K2 meters is certainly not unproductive, and I will be using more of these devices on future investigations.

All in all, and with other investigations and visits to historic sites to shoot a documentary program, it has been a very productive weekend, and a real pleasure to be working with FPI who are seasoned professional investigators.  A full video of this investigation will be released soon.

I certainly  look forward to working with FPI on some future shoots.

Story: Chris Halton

THE GHOSTS OF BIGGIN HILL - WW2 RAF FIGHTER BASE

One of the most haunted locations in the borough of Bromley is said to be Biggin Hill airfield, writes Neil Arnold.

For many years witnesses have come forward to report having encounters with spectral airmen who in most cases fade from view once observed.

The former RAF Biggin Hill

The spectres have been seen in some of the lanes surrounding the airfield and also in houses built on the old airfield.

It has long been considered that such pilots like to still linger at the airfield as it may have been the last place they were at their most happiest, although it could also be surmised that such airmen are in some type of limbo - their image replayed back to those susceptible enough to see them.

The same could also be said for the phantom spitfire that has been heard above the airfield - those fortunate enough to have seen the plane claim it performs a victory roll before completely disappearing.

The spectral airmen however are not simply confined the airfield - there have been numerous reports from Hayes Lane, Vincent Square, Chatterton Road and Addison Road of such spirits.

One of the more recent ghostly encounters at Biggin Hill took place in the chapel of St George's.

`The Few` - Scrambling for action against an enemy attack

Whilst putting together my book, Haunted Bromley, a man who worked in the building told me his friend has recently seen the figure of a man in airman attire but upon investigation he could not find the mystery figure.

The Crown Inn, Biggin Hill - Haunted former RAF pub

Just a few miles from Biggin Hill sits the delightfully named Leaves Green, and the pub here, The Crown Inn, is also be said to be haunted by an airman although sightings seem fleeting, but the main ghost said to haunt the premises is that of a miner, who in 1896 suffered a terrible accident in a nearby chalk mine.

His broken body was taken to the public house and it seems as if his restless soul has never left.

Like many reputed pub ghosts, the spectre is said to be responsible for the creaking floorboards, flickering lights, unnatural cold spots and the occasional object that seems to move of its own accord.

One thing however, that I've often found odd regarding the apparitions of planes and other vehicles, is as to why we never seem to get a sighting of the pilot/driver, floating in mid-air on his own?

Why should a pilot who died in a plane appear with an object that clearly has no soul? And yet there are numerous cases of ghostly planes, cars, buses, bikes etc

Source: NewsShopper