About this episode

Dr. Rodney Schmaltz discusses his viral study on infrasound and its potential link to feelings of creepiness in older buildings.

"We did NOT disprove ghosts!" Today on Mind Full, we are speaking with Dr. Rodney Schmaltz, who recently had a study he led at MacEwan University go somewhat viral. People do love the paranormal! Dr. Schmaltz talks about the whirlwind that comes with having a study suddenly catch the attention of the public, and about the study itself. You know how sometimes you get a creepy, hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck feeling in some older buildings? It may not be ghosts - it may be infrasound! Infrasound exposure is linked to aversive responding, negative appraisal, and elevated salivary cortisol in humans: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1729876/full?ref=404media.co Dr. Schmaltz on Quirks & Quarks: Do old buildings give you the creeps? New research could explain haunted feelings https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/infrasound-paranormal-9.7209127 In The Guardian: Spooky feelings in old houses may be caused by boiler sounds, study suggests https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/27/spooky-feelings-in-old-houses-may-be-caused-by-boiler-sounds-study-suggests

People in this episode

Host: Canadian Psychological Association

Guest: Dr. Rodney Schmaltz

Topics covered

• infrasound
• older buildings
• paranormal
• psychological effects
• research study

Keywords

• infrasound
• creepy buildings
• ghosts
• psychological study
• salivary cortisol

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MacEwan University

Books & works: Mind Full

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