Richard Wiseman doesn't believe in spooks — and he doesn't think you should, either. Once a professional magician, the University of Hertfordshire psychologist has always been intrigued by the unusual side of the human experience, conducting research on luck, lying and the paranormal.
In his book, "Paranormality," (Macmillion, 2011), Wiseman delves into the science (or lack thereof) of hauntings, psychics, telepathy and other supposedly inexplicable phenomena.
Americans will have to seek out the book on Kindle, as American publishers told Wiseman there was no market for debunking the paranormal in the U.S. LiveScience begs to differ, so we got in touch with Wiseman to talk about the allure of the occult and why Americans are so fond of psychic hotlines.
This is an extract from Live Science, written by Stephanie Pappas and originally published on July 05, 2011.