A brilliant group of science researchers have conducted an experiment whose results demonstrate that sounds can be recovered from objects. Before you start daydreaming about the "Stone Tape Theory" being proven true and that spirit voices can be captured and released by certain types of materials, allow me to elaborate on the real science being conducted.
In a collaboration by researchers from Adobe, Microsoft and MIT, they have developed an algorithm that enables detection by video of audio vibrations and recovering the same. In plain terms, the claim is that when sound hits an object, it causes that object to produce a very subtle visual signal invisible to the naked eye. Subsequent reconstruction of the audio from this signal requires the frequency of the video capture to be higher than the frequency of the audio signal, using specialized equipment designed specifically for this experiment.
What wasn't contained in this initial reporting of a successful experiment was details such as time span between the originally produced sound and its capture, nor results of repeated tests indicating a maximum time frame that yields successful results. Although omitted, I would assume such data and much more would be included in their presentation of their findings later this year at Siggraph, an annual conference on computer graphics.
It would be interesting to know the full extent of the variety of tests that were conducted, especially if tests on the same object produced evidence of overlay of data, in effect erasing previous data which would seem a logical assumption when we are talking about recordings. I say this because the "Stone Tape Theory" should be called the "Stone Tape Hypothesis" (as it cannot seemingly be tested). Accordingly, the voices alleged captured in this hypothetical process are of someone who was once living but now deceased. Isn't that the presumption? If so, why wouldn't any other living person nearby overlay that "recording" with their own voices? I also wonder how this "Stone Tape Recorder" automatically plays back without being induced to do so, or are the alleged spirits doing that?
If you think this new finding doesn't have practical ghost hunting applications, you could be wrong. I'm not saying that once living people can leave a voice imprint on objects however one of the most intriguing pieces of data I ever obtained in my paranormal research was from using a focused, narrow beam of laser light reflecting off a static, 100-yr-old mirror in a house environment absent of any people. Even though I feel that EVP is at best conspicuous with having a multitude of possible origin sources, this particular capture clearly had vocal tone and sounded like a little girl speaking the words "what is that thing." The interpretation of this phrase utterance does fit the situational observation of someone who might come upon my setup, as it was quite unusual looking, though there was no historical documentation of a female child in the house.
IMO the "Stone Tape Theory" doesn't hold up well to sensible scrutiny and if you are trying to convince me that it is a viable theory, you might as well be talking to the wall (pun intended), and if you do, don't be disappointed if it doesn't answer back!
- MoonJoey