There’s something strange in that house. Or that barn. Or that office building. Or that warehouse. Or that field.

Wherever you are, you are likely somewhere close to a location that boasts a history involving paranormal activity, particularly during this time of the year: Halloween. Thousands of people around the globe have devoted their lives to the art of communicating with the great beyond, and according to 2013 poll results, approximately 42 percent of Americans believe in ghosts or some other form of paranormal activity, down from 2003 polls (which found the approximate percentage of Americans who believed in ghosts to be closer to 56 percent).

The paranormal-seeking population showed off their skills earlier in October (Saturday the 22, with a ghost hunt led by the Michiana Paranormal Society near Galien, Michigan). They checked out several locations in the town, including the local American Legion Post building, a former elementary school, and the historic 1879 Galien Jailhouse, looking for paranormal activity. Their investigation also used many pieces of equipment important for obtaining any kind of evidence of the afterlife coming into our world, such as a device used to measure “ghost touching,” cameras, and digital recorders. Their group, along with many other ghost hunting coalitions, have compiled many websites that provide a layout of all the facts you need to know and equipment you need to have to conduct your own investigation.

Firstly, they stress the difference between ghost hunting and paranormal investigations. Ghost hunting, to one’s definition, refers to “the action of setting out to find proof of afterlife-based paranormal activity. Paranormal investigations, on the other hand, set to collect evidence to prove or disprove claims or suggestions of paranormal activity” at a certain location. They also stress that the best tool in any ghost hunter’s repertoire is the facts of the location. To conduct “a professional, efficient and accurate investigation,” there are several steps of research to take before the ghost hunting even takes place. First, it’s best to learn as much as you can about the place you’re going to be investigating. Possible catastrophes that occurred at the location are important to the investigation, as well. Knowing the names of the possible ghosts you may encounter, plus their backstories, can help to make sense of some of the strange actions that go on throughout the course of the investigation. It may seem meaningless to someone who doesn’t know the history.

There are also required ghost hunting gear pieces that are important to a paranormal investigation. Firstly, the audio recorder. This is a way to ensure that any sound heard by a possible investigator is heard, and can later be investigated with high-tech audio software. Audio recorders can also pick up on any sounds that are not completely audible to the human ears during the investigation. Your ears can only pick up on so much, so having an electronic ear to pick up on more sounds. Second, a camera. Having a visual representation of what happened, while you’re still recording audio, is helpful to understand what’s going on, so that if someone scuffs their feet or bumps into anything or moves in a way that makes a noise, the corresponding sound on the digital recorder can be accounted for. The best route for an investigation is to ensure that the evidence you’re finding is actually evidence.

There are also many high-tech pieces of equipment possible to help with the search for the paranormal. These pieces are very expensive and are not often available to the average ghost hunter looking for a night of fun. These include camera modifications (such as infrared or ultraviolet spectrum modifications), voice boxes (a term for pieces of equipment that emits static at a wide range of the audio spectrum, so that ghosts can use those different spectrums to create some type of message). Doing this as a way of life is a very expensive life, and is only for the few who can make money off of their findings, instead of merely finding evidence as a hobby.

For many people, this whole idea seems like a bunch of hogwash. For many others, it’s a definite fact.

But there’s no way to truly know.

Is there?