Editing Poltergeist (section)

===Unverified natural phenomena===
Attempts have also been made to scientifically explain poltergeist disturbances that have not been traced to fraud or psychological factors. Skeptic and magician [[Milbourne Christopher]] found that some cases of poltergeist activity can be attributed to unusual air currents, such as a 1957 case on [[Cape Cod]] where downdrafts from an uncovered chimney became strong enough to blow a mirror off a wall, overturn chairs and knock things off shelves.<ref>{{cite book| title=ESP, Seers & Psychics: What the Occult Really Is | first=Milbourne | last=Christopher | location=New York | publisher=Crowell | year=1970 |page=142| isbn=978-0-690-26815-7 | oclc=97063 |quote=A heavy mirror fell from the bedroom wall and an ash tray that had been resting on a table with a glass top slammed against the surface with such force that the glass was shattered.}}</ref>

In the 1950s, Guy William Lambert proposed that reported poltergeist phenomena could be explained by the movement of underground water causing stress on houses.<ref name="Wiseman 2011">{{cite book |last=Wiseman |first=Richard |date=1 April 2011 |title=Paranormality: Why We see What Isn't There |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TO67ZcZ3wUUC |publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-1743038383 |author-link=Richard Wiseman |pages=167–169}}
*Lambert, G. W. (1955). ''Poltergeists: A Physical Theory''. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 38: 49–71.</ref> He suggested that [[Turbulence|water turbulence]] could cause strange sounds or structural movement of the property, possibly causing the house to vibrate and move objects. Later researchers, such as [[Alan Gauld]] and [[Tony Cornell]], tested Lambert's hypothesis by placing specific objects in different rooms and subjecting the house to strong mechanical vibrations.<ref name="Wiseman 2011"/> They discovered that although the structure of the building had been damaged, only a few of the objects moved a very short distance. The skeptic [[Trevor H. Hall]] criticized the hypothesis claiming if it was true "the building would almost certainly fall into ruins."<ref>Dingwall, Eric; Hall, Trevor H. (1958). ''Four Modern Ghosts''. Gerald Duckworth. p. 105</ref> According to [[Richard Wiseman]] the hypothesis has not held up to scrutiny.<ref name="Wiseman 2011"/>

[[Michael Persinger]] has theorized that [[seismic activity]] could cause poltergeist phenomena.<ref>{{cite book |first=James |last=Houran |title=From Shaman to Scientist: Essays on Humanity's Search for Spirits |location=Lanham |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2004 |page=11 |isbn=0-8108-5054-0 }}</ref> However, Persinger's claims regarding the effects of environmental geomagnetic activity on paranormal experiences have not been independently replicated and, like his findings regarding the [[God helmet]], may simply be explained by the suggestibility of participants.<ref name="French">{{citation | title=The "Haunt" project: An attempt to build a "haunted" room by manipulating complex electromagnetic fields and infrasound | author=French, CC., Haque, U., Bunton-Stasyshyn, R., Davis, R. | journal=Cortex | volume=45 | issue=5 | pages=619–629 | year=2009 | doi=10.1016/j.cortex.2007.10.011 | pmid=18635163| s2cid=3944854 | url=http://research.gold.ac.uk/4209/2/French_et_al_Haunt_accepted.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Wiseman |first1=Richard |author-link=Richard Wiseman |title=The Haunted Brain |url=https://www.csicop.org/si/show/the_haunted_brain |website=Csicop.org |date=September 2011 |access-date=7 January 2019}}</ref>

David Turner, a retired physical chemist, suggested that [[ball lightning]] might cause the "spooky movement of objects blamed on poltergeists."<ref>{{cite magazine| last=Muir |first=Hazel |title=Ball lightning scientists remain in the dark |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1720 |magazine=New Scientist |date=2001-12-20 |access-date=2011-01-15}}</ref>

* [[Sampford Peverell#Poltergeist claim error|Sampford Peverell]] (1810–1811) - poltergeistal noises were determined made by smugglers from behind a false wall<ref>Codd, Daniel. ''Paranormal Devon'' (2013). Amberley Publishing. p.30-34. {{ISBN|9781848681668}}.</ref>