Have you ever wondered if vampires, werewolves, or zombies ever existed? Is there any scientific evidence that proves their existence? Paranormal or supernatural creatures have been streamed across various mediums. Television shows, movies, books or social media have all discussed the presence of otherworldly beings. There has been years of speculation regarding this topic. A lot of the time the stories of paranormal/supernatural beings can be called folklore or just plain fiction. In ancient times the explanation for many things stemmed from paranormal or supernatural information but as time progressed, science has now replaced many of those outdated notions. In our modern day and age, science and technology have advanced enough that we can test and try to find evidence regarding the preternatural.
Back in the olden days, people used to attest circumstances that seemed out of the ordinary to some sort of supernatural power. Changes in weather patterns were said to be the doing of deities but now with modern advancements we know that this is the result of natural changes in the environment and temperature. Plagues used to be attributed to women conspiring with the devil but with research and modern advances we have learned that illnesses are caused by bacteria and viruses. With advancements in technology and research, new evidence and advancements have been made which have created logical explanations for the unexplainable.
There have been many stories written about vampires from varying regions in the world. Dracula is one the most popular vampires of all time. Researchers have accredited the existence of Dracula to a real life man named Vlad the Impaler. He was a medieval Romanian prince and was known as Dracula. In Vlad III's home near the northern Balkan Mountains, there were stories about children who had vampire-like qualities. These children were categorized this way because they passed away before they were baptized and they drank blood from cows before their passing. In China there have been stories about jiangshi which were evil spirits that used to attack people and suck out their life force. Historians have dated the theories about vampires all the way back to Ancient Egypt, Babylonia and Greece. The myths from these regions referenced demons . There have been various burial grounds located that contained people labeled as vampires. Oftentimes when these graves were located there would be damage to the corpses. To current date there is no concrete evidence or proof that vampires existed at any point in time.
Zombies have become popular in recent history due to new movies and television shows. There has been historical information from the 17th & 18th century which pertains to zombies in Haiti. The modern ideas about zombies came out from African religious beliefs and the pain of slavery. In African religions it is believed that the human soul can be stolen and then encapsulated by someone to use at a later time. In Haiti, slaves who considered suicide were geared away from this by other slaves, some of which were voodoo priests. They said if they were to kill themselves then they would be zombies, or, humans with no souls. The modern concept of zombies has greatly evolved from the beliefs of the past. Now zombies are portrayed as having an insatiable hunger for human flesh. The closest thing this can be associated with is cannibalism. But similarly with vampires there is no scientific evidence that would prove the existence of zombies. The only evidence that exists is historical accounts which may not be accurate. Until there is solid and conclusive proof that at some point in time that zombies existed, this is just a spooky story.
Werewolves, along with zombies and vampires have been popularized in media. With books and movies involving werewolves there has been speculation as to whether they exist? Werewolves also have a presence in historical folklore from many different regions. The first documented stories about werewolves date back to almost 2,000 years ago. In different cultures there have been stories of humans shape shifting into other creatures. In Japan and Korea there have been myths about were-foxes and in India, were-snakes. It used to be believed that falling asleep under a full moon or consuming specific herbs would turn someone into a flesh eating human-wolf hybrid. Again no true scientific reporting or data support this. The truth of this myth lies in folklore. Back then it was believed to be only logical truth but over time these notions were dismantled with the lack of proof of these theories.
Stories about the supernatural and paranormal are great for a fun and spooky read but there is no scientific basis. In the olden times people had to attribute problems such as disease, weather changes, or mental illnesses to something and that's where most of these stories came from. There is no conclusive attestation for any sort of supernatural or paranormal existence. The preternatural have been a source of inspiration for many people. There have been countless books, movies, and television shows made. The entertainment that is provided by the possibility of the otherworldly is the only thing that is known for sure.
Purnima Chopra
References:
Palermo, Elizabeth. “Vampires, Zombies & Werewolves, Oh My! The Origins of Halloween Monsters.” Live Science, 30 Oct. 2015, www.livescience.com/52648-mythical-halloween-monsters-origins.html.
Shermer, Michael. “Is It Possible to Measure Supernatural or Paranormal Phenomena?” Scientific American, 1 Sept. 2016, www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-it-possible-to-measure-supernatural-or-paranormal-phenomena/?error=cookies_not_supported&code=6ab47413-bf11-4eb9-a7ea-83c6072de836.
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