Ghostly close encounters in the spotlight

AN experiment to investigate the alleged haunting of Mary King’s Close was being launched today.

The study, undertaken by Professor Richard Wiseman from the University of Hertfordshire, will examine why visitors to the 15th-century closes underneath the Royal Mile often report alleged ghostly activity and will investigate physical factors such as temperature, sound and geomagnetic activity.

The study has been supported by the National Endowment for Science Technology through its Learning programme.

The experiment will involve 200 members of the public walking through the location in small groups and reporting any unusual phenomena they experience.

Prof Wiseman said: "Our aim is to discover more about why people report strange phenomena in this historic venue."