The Atlantic Paranormal Society
Encyclopedia
The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) is an organization that investigates reported paranormal
activity. Based in Warwick, Rhode Island
, United States, TAPS was founded in 1990 by Jason Hawes
and Grant Wilson
. In 2004, the organization itself became the subject of Ghost Hunters
, a popular weekly American paranormal reality television series on the Syfy
channel. The show is currently airing its seventh season on Syfy in the US. The show aired in the UK 9 months after the US premier on Living it.
The group attempts to help individuals or groups who feel they have paranormal activity occurring around them by using various electronic equipment, which TAPS believes is capable of detecting such phenomena. The results are also used for their own research purposes. They also run a website.
DVD
of the show to new subscribers.
stars Jason Hawes
and Grant Wilson
. Beyond Reality Radio started in April 2007. Beyond Reality Radio airs Saturday nights at 7-10 PM on radio station WXLM. On the show Jason and Grant interview guests about the Paranormal and allow listeners to call in to contribute to the discussion. The crew of Beyond Reality Radio are hosts, Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes, Producer Amy Bruni, and Studio Producer Dave Gardiner. During the show or any other time you can visit the official TAPS website and chat about the show or any other subjects. The room is watched over by Owners and Mods that keep the room G-rated and family friendly. The show is currently on hiatus
. No date has been given for its return.
" and instead adopted the term "free volunteer organization" due to potential liability issues stemming from the inaccuracy of the first description.
called Apparitions: Red Reef Inn. Available online for PC & Mac, TAPS co-founder Grant Wilson claims that this game is just the start of larger efforts in the interactive media space from TAPS in the future. In January 2010 TAPS and Star Mountain Studios released a hidden object game entitled Apparitions: Kotsmine Hills.
and digital video cameras, thermal camera devices, EMF (electromagnetic field) detector
s, digital thermometer
s and other equipment throughout the site in question. While at a site, the members of the team often find common explanations for the claims of the occupants. In conclusion, the team will report on its findings, and express their opinion that a site is "haunted" or "not haunted." They distinguish themselves from other paranormal groups by going into a case by claiming they wish to disprove a haunting. TAPS does not charge their clients for the investigations or consulting.
most ghost hunting groups including TAPS make many methodological mistakes. "After watching episodes of Ghost Hunters
and other similar programs, it quickly becomes clear to anyone with a background in science that the methods used are both illogical and unscientific". Anyone can be a ghost investigator, "failing to consider alternative explanations for anomalous ... phenomena", considering emotions and feelings as "evidence of ghostly encounters". "Improper and unscientific investigation methods" for example "using unproven tools and equipment", "sampling errors", "ineffectively using recording devices" and "focusing on the history of the location...and not the phenomena". In his article for Skeptical Inquirer Magazine Radford concludes that ghost hunters should care about doing a truly scientific investigation "I believe that if ghosts exist, they are important and deserve to be taken seriously. Most of the efforts to investigate ghosts so far have been badly flawed and unscientific --- and, not surprisingly, fruitless."
. They include the following people.
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
activity. Based in Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
, United States, TAPS was founded in 1990 by Jason Hawes
Jason Hawes
Jason Conrad Hawes is the founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society , which is based in Warwick, Rhode Island. He is also one of the stars and co-producers of Syfy's Ghost Hunters, which is in its seventh season.-Family:He and his wife have five children - three girls and twin boys...
and Grant Wilson
Grant Wilson
Grant Steven Wilson is the co-founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society , which is based in Warwick, Rhode Island. He is also one of the stars and co-producers of Syfy's Ghost Hunters, which has just been renewed for its seventh season.-Personal life:He and his wife Reanna have three sons...
. In 2004, the organization itself became the subject of Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on October 6, 2004, on Syfy . The program features paranormal investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson who investigate places that are reported to be haunted. The two originally worked as plumbers for Roto-Rooter as...
, a popular weekly American paranormal reality television series on the Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
channel. The show is currently airing its seventh season on Syfy in the US. The show aired in the UK 9 months after the US premier on Living it.
History and objectives
In 1990, Hawes began "Rhode Island Paranormal Society", after having a personal experience with spirits. After RIPS began investigating cases throughout the New England area, Jason met up with Grant Wilson in 1995 and renamed it "The Atlantic Paranormal Society." Wilson had also had a personal experience. Neither men talk about it in public. The group was originally run out of Jason's basement, and was only them at that point. They pioneered investigative techniques that many other paranormal investigators use. In 2003 they were approached by Pilgrim Films and taped ten episodes of "Ghost Hunters" for the Sci Fi channel.The group attempts to help individuals or groups who feel they have paranormal activity occurring around them by using various electronic equipment, which TAPS believes is capable of detecting such phenomena. The results are also used for their own research purposes. They also run a website.
Books
In 2007 Jason and Grant released their first book, titled Ghost Hunting. In 2009, they released another book called Seeking Spirits. One other primary objective of TAPS is to make the rounds on the college lecture and convention circuit, as the event calendar on the group's main page shows various members are frequently booked at such events.Website
The TAPS website is used to feature some evidence the group had collected in video and audio form.Magazine
TAPS publishes a monthly publication called TAPS Paramagazine (also known as TAPS Para Mag), which features articles written by group members and information pertaining to the paranormal. Hawes stated in an interview on the skeptical podcast 'Audiomartini' that the magazine is marketed primarily in an attempt to "fund the TAPS operation." The magazine itself states that "TAPS Para Magazine is a financial sponsor of The Atlantic Paranormal Society." The average issue is approximately 39 pages in length and in 2006 was marketed by offering a behind-the-scenesMaking-of
In cinema, a making-of, also known as behind-the-scenes, is a documentary film that features the production of a film or television program...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
of the show to new subscribers.
Radio show
Beginning in July 2006 TAPS began releasing podcasts, TAPS Para-Radio, featuring Hawes and Wilson, on a sporadic basis.Beyond Reality Radio
Beyond Reality Radio is a radio talk show featuring TAPS co-founders and Ghost HuntersGhost Hunters
Ghost Hunters is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on October 6, 2004, on Syfy . The program features paranormal investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson who investigate places that are reported to be haunted. The two originally worked as plumbers for Roto-Rooter as...
stars Jason Hawes
Jason Hawes
Jason Conrad Hawes is the founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society , which is based in Warwick, Rhode Island. He is also one of the stars and co-producers of Syfy's Ghost Hunters, which is in its seventh season.-Family:He and his wife have five children - three girls and twin boys...
and Grant Wilson
Grant Wilson
Grant Steven Wilson is the co-founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society , which is based in Warwick, Rhode Island. He is also one of the stars and co-producers of Syfy's Ghost Hunters, which has just been renewed for its seventh season.-Personal life:He and his wife Reanna have three sons...
. Beyond Reality Radio started in April 2007. Beyond Reality Radio airs Saturday nights at 7-10 PM on radio station WXLM. On the show Jason and Grant interview guests about the Paranormal and allow listeners to call in to contribute to the discussion. The crew of Beyond Reality Radio are hosts, Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes, Producer Amy Bruni, and Studio Producer Dave Gardiner. During the show or any other time you can visit the official TAPS website and chat about the show or any other subjects. The room is watched over by Owners and Mods that keep the room G-rated and family friendly. The show is currently on hiatus
Hiatus (television)
In television scheduling, a hiatus refers to a break of at least several weeks in the normal schedule of a broadcast programming. It can occur during a season of a television program, or can be between television seasons .- Planned hiatus :Many times television stations will implement a hiatus...
. No date has been given for its return.
Non-profit status
In early 2007, TAPS ceased describing itself as a "non-profit organizationNon-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
" and instead adopted the term "free volunteer organization" due to potential liability issues stemming from the inaccuracy of the first description.
Video game
On December 1, 2007, TAPS released a video game in conjunction with Star Mountain StudiosStar Mountain Studios
Star Mountain Studios is an independent software developer and publisher formed in 2003 by three veterans from Vivendi Universal Games - Richard Sternberg, Briar Lee Mitchell and Adam Ryan....
called Apparitions: Red Reef Inn. Available online for PC & Mac, TAPS co-founder Grant Wilson claims that this game is just the start of larger efforts in the interactive media space from TAPS in the future. In January 2010 TAPS and Star Mountain Studios released a hidden object game entitled Apparitions: Kotsmine Hills.
Methods
TAPS sends a group of 3 to 8 members to perform an 8-16 hour investigation, covering multiple nights, employing a number of infraredInfrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
and digital video cameras, thermal camera devices, EMF (electromagnetic field) detector
EMF Meter
An EMF meter is a scientific instrument for measuring electromagnetic fields . Most meters measure the electromagnetic radiation flux density or the change in an electromagnetic field over time , essentially the same as a radio antenna, but with quite different detection...
s, digital thermometer
Thermometer
Developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, a thermometer is a device that measures temperature or temperature gradient using a variety of different principles. A thermometer has two important elements: the temperature sensor Developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, a thermometer (from the...
s and other equipment throughout the site in question. While at a site, the members of the team often find common explanations for the claims of the occupants. In conclusion, the team will report on its findings, and express their opinion that a site is "haunted" or "not haunted." They distinguish themselves from other paranormal groups by going into a case by claiming they wish to disprove a haunting. TAPS does not charge their clients for the investigations or consulting.
Criticism
According to investigator Benjamin RadfordBenjamin Radford
Benjamin Radford is deputy editor of the science magazine Skeptical Inquirer, former editor-in-chief of the Spanish-language magazine Pensar, which was published in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a columnist for Skeptical Inquirer magazine Skeptical Briefs newsletter, Discovery News, LiveScience.com...
most ghost hunting groups including TAPS make many methodological mistakes. "After watching episodes of Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on October 6, 2004, on Syfy . The program features paranormal investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson who investigate places that are reported to be haunted. The two originally worked as plumbers for Roto-Rooter as...
and other similar programs, it quickly becomes clear to anyone with a background in science that the methods used are both illogical and unscientific". Anyone can be a ghost investigator, "failing to consider alternative explanations for anomalous ... phenomena", considering emotions and feelings as "evidence of ghostly encounters". "Improper and unscientific investigation methods" for example "using unproven tools and equipment", "sampling errors", "ineffectively using recording devices" and "focusing on the history of the location...and not the phenomena". In his article for Skeptical Inquirer Magazine Radford concludes that ghost hunters should care about doing a truly scientific investigation "I believe that if ghosts exist, they are important and deserve to be taken seriously. Most of the efforts to investigate ghosts so far have been badly flawed and unscientific --- and, not surprisingly, fruitless."
Notable members
Members of TAPS can be found worldwide. TAPS has also made honorary members of some celebrities who have participated in investigations filmed for the Ghost Hunters TV series, several of whom, such as Tapping and The Miz, appear in programming produced by the show's parent network, SyfySyfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
. They include the following people.
- Jodi PicoultJodi PicoultJodi Lynn Picoult is an American author. She was awarded the New England Bookseller Award for fiction in 2003. Picoult currently has some 14 million copies of her books in print worldwide.-Early life and education:...
- Tag along Member (1996) - CM PunkCM PunkPhillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
- Honorary Member (2006) - Elijah BurkeElijah BurkeElijah Samuel Burke is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the name of "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero; a gimmick in which he portrays a Harlem street preacher...
- Honorary Member (2007) - The MizMike MizaninMichael "Mike" Gregory Mizanin is an American professional wrestler and reality television personality better known by his nickname and ring name The Miz. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment on its Raw brand...
- Honorary Member (2008) - Amanda TappingAmanda TappingAmanda Tapping is an English-born Canadian actress, producer and director. She is best known for portraying Samantha Carter in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis...
- Honorary Member (2008) - Colin FergusonColin Ferguson (actor)Colin Ferguson is a Canadian actor. He was born in Montreal, Quebec, and is a graduate of Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario and McGill University in Montreal....
- Honorary Member (2008) - Meat LoafMeat LoafMichael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
- Honorary Member (2009) - Kofi KingstonKofi KingstonKofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah , is a Ghanaian American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Kofi Kingston. He is currently signed to WWE and works on its Raw brand where he is one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions with Evan Bourne as Air Boom...
- Honorary Member (2010) - Joe Maddalena – Honorary Member (2010)
- Meaghan RathMeaghan RathMeaghan Rath is a Canadian film and television actress. She has co-starred in the television series 15/Love, The Assistants and currently Being Human.-Acting career:...
– Honorary Member (2010) - Allison Scagliotti – Honorary Member (2010)