At the very least, it is simply folklore. At the most, it is a simple hypothesis without the ability to be tested. The Stone Tape Theory is a paranormal "theory" that suggests that ghosts and hauntings are analogous to tape recordings, and that mental impressions during emotional or traumatic events can be projected in the form of energy, “recorded” onto rocks and other items and “replayed” under certain conditions. I could not find any specific claims of accompanying audio. I could not find any specific claims of accompanying audio. In fact, I don’t recall ever encountering a claim that stone tape recordings have accompanying sound!
While there is no concrete scientific evidence to support this 'theory,' many people have explored it to explain some of the persistent mysteries about the paranormal. According to paranormal belief, the apparitions or sounds associated with hauntings are not conscious entities, but rather impressions left behind by the past events. As a result, they tend to be repetitive and non-interactive in nature, mirroring the characteristics of a playback.
In my opinion, a clear detriment to serious paranormal research is made-up claims by popular TV ghost shows. In a specific episode of a Reality Paranormal TV show, the group’s leader claimed that the hauntings at the famous Stanley Hotel were caused by energy stored in the limestone and quartz deposits upon which the hotel stands. As I was curious, I obtained from the U.S.D.A., the latest soil survey done. The Soil Survey Description declared the parent material was "Slope alluvium derived from granite and gneiss over residuum weathered from granite and gneiss." Throughout the survey, absolutely no mention was made of limestone or quartz!!! While entertainment on TV is appreciated, it’s essential to avoid spreading misinformation.
So, how much is this hypothesis grounded in actual science? I asked Chat/GPT-4.
MoonJoey: Considering the paranormal stone tape theory, wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that both audio and visual impressions could be left behind?”
Chat/GPT-4: There is no scientific evidence to support the stone tape theory or the existence of EVP. The mechanisms proposed for the environmental recording/playback loop are based on vague and untestable hypotheses, such as invisible energy fields, molecular architecture of crystalline quartz, or quantum entanglement. Prosaic explanations for EVP include apophenia (perceiving patterns in random information), equipment artifacts, and hoaxes.
Therefore, it would not be logical to assume that audio impression would be left behind as well as the popular visual impression as it pertains to the paranormal stone tape theory. These phenomena are more likely to be the result of human imagination, interpretation, and expectation than of any supernatural forces.
MoonJoey: Let's discuss the characteristics of crystalline quartz. What are its conductive properties?
Chat/GPT-4: Crystalline quartz, despite its remarkable structure, is non-conductive when it comes to electrical conductivity. Unlike metals, which readily allow the flow of electric current, quartz lacks free electrons that can move easily within its lattice. In other words, it does not act as a pathway for electricity.
MoonJoey: Is it possible for this type if quartz to generate an electrical charge at all?
Chat/GPT-4: Although not conductive in the traditional sense, quartz is known as a piezoelectric material. When subjected to mechanical stress (such as pressure or vibration), it generates an electric charge.
MoonJoey: What is an example of a piezoelectric charge?
Chat/GPT-4: An example of a piezoelectric charge can be found in everyday devices like quartz watches. Inside a quartz watch, a small piece of crystalline quartz is cut into a specific shape (usually a thin wafer) and placed near an electronic circuit. When pressure or vibration is applied to the quartz crystal (such as when you tap your watch), it generates a tiny electric charge due to its piezoelectric properties. This charge is then used to regulate the watch’s timekeeping mechanism.
MoonJoey: Are piezoelectric charges found in nature by rocks under stress and can they create a sustained charge?
Chat/GPT-4: In nature, rocks and crystals do not typically maintain a sustained electric charge indefinitely. Rocks and minerals like quartz, tourmaline, and topaz exhibit piezoelectric behavior. When these materials experience stress (e.g., due to geological forces), they briefly generate an electric charge. However, this charge dissipates unless continuously replenished by external factors.
MoonJoey: Is it incorrect to hypothesize that a piezoelectric effect from pressure subjected to rock or crystals can somehow record and store any sort of external phenomena for later release?
Chat/GPT-4: While the piezoelectric effect captures the immediate impact of external forces, it does not inherently store information about specific events or phenomena. The charge generated is proportional to the applied stress but lacks context. It doesn’t encode details like the cause of the stress or any external event. To record and store external phenomena for later release, a material would need a more complex mechanism. Piezoelectric materials alone cannot retain information over extended periods. In nature, rocks and crystals respond to geological forces, but their piezoelectric charges are transient and not akin to long-term data storage. In summary, while the piezoelectric effect is fascinating and has real-world applications, it does not inherently serve as a natural recorder of external events. For long-term storage, we need more sophisticated systems beyond the inherent properties of rocks and crystals.
MoonJoey Notes: Quartz embedded in granite has been shown in tests to produce under pressure, an electrical charge across its face, however due to the random orientation of such crystal in rock, the charges that are produced on opposite sides of each crystal tend to cancel each other out. They do not form a good electrical bond.
In my humble opinion, too many paranormal investigators cling to old stories and eyewitness testimony without ever pursuing new and original ideas concerning Stone Tape Theory. With that in mind, I present to you the following thinking "out of the box" concerning this topic:
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, the group has 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.
In a remarkable set of experiments, they successfully recovered intelligible speech from the vibrations of a potato-chip bag photographed from 15 feet away through soundproof glass. Because of this, researchers envision a new kind of imaging where sounds from objects reveal information about both the sound environment and the objects themselves.
Here is more on how the algorithm works:
The algorithm developed by the collaborative team from MIT, Microsoft, and Adobe is a fascinating blend of computer vision and audio signal processing. It is broken down as follows:
Video Capture:
The process begins by capturing video frames. These frames are recorded at a high frame rate, allowing the algorithm to capture subtle vibrations that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.
Even standard video recordings at 60 frames per second (fps) can provide valuable information about the vibrations of objects.
Vibration Analysis:
The algorithm analyzes the spatial and temporal variations in the video frames. It looks for pixel-level displacements caused by vibrations. When an object emits sound (such as speech), it causes microscopic movements in the surrounding air. These vibrations propagate to nearby surfaces, causing them to move ever so slightly. By tracking these minute displacements, the algorithm can infer the underlying audio signal.
Frequency Extraction:
The vibrations captured in the video correspond to the frequency components of the audio signal.
The algorithm performs a Fourier transform on the pixel displacements to extract the frequency domain information. Essentially, it identifies which frequencies are present in the vibrations.
Reconstruction:
Armed with the frequency information, the algorithm reconstructs an approximate audio signal.
- MoonJoey