Reflections from Our GoblinCon Presentation – “Fact vs. Fake in the Paranormal”

During our session at GoblinCon, we shared several clips to demonstrate how NightSong approaches evidence review — showing both examples we’ve classified as paranormal and others that we’ve determined to be explainable or inconclusive. Our goal wasn’t to convince the audience that ghosts are real — it was to educate, challenge assumptions, and encourage thoughtful discussion.

The idea behind “Fact vs. Fake” is to bridge the gap between curiosity and credibility — to show that responsible investigation means knowing how to tell the difference between the explainable, the unexplainable, and the truly extraordinary.

At the start of the session, we took a quick poll of the room. The majority of attendees reported having no personal paranormal experiences, while only a handful were investigators or had encounters of their own. We also had a few self-identified skeptics. It was a wonderfully mixed crowd — curious, open-minded, and ready to engage from all perspectives.

Having such a balanced audience made for a great discussion. When you bring together investigators, skeptics, and those simply curious about the unknown, every piece of evidence sparks a wider range of perspectives — and that’s where the most valuable conversations happen. I mentioned during the session that we live in a world where seeing is believing — and that’s exactly what makes this field both fascinating and challenging.

One of the most talked-about clips came from our investigation at the Lotz House. It featured a one-pound ball that had remained completely still for over three hours, even as people walked past it repeatedly. Then, while everyone was outside on break, the ball suddenly moved on its own, rolling to the right, over a tack strip, and then down the stairs once it hit the hardwood.

We consider this moment potentially paranormal because of the physics involved — the ball had to first defy gravity slightly to move up and over the tack strip before gravity took over. There were no drafts, vibrations, or people present, making it an intriguing anomaly that continues to spark healthy debate.

NightSong doesn’t label something “paranormal” lightly — only after we’ve ruled out every possible natural or environmental cause. Each piece of evidence goes through a thorough review process: cross-checking environmental data, verifying camera stability and control cameras, confirming baseline readings, and ensuring no outside interference before we even begin to consider the possibility of something paranormal.

As we shared during the discussion, it’s not our place to critique what other investigators deem paranormal; we simply uphold our own standards of evidence while maintaining respect for others in the field.

We also remind people that there are no experts in this field — only seasoned investigators dedicated to learning, improving, and maintaining professionalism. True paranormal activity is rarely captured; it’s most often experienced.

Moments like this reinforce why we do what we do — to seek truth wherever it leads, remain humble in our findings, and continue fostering open, evidence-based dialogue within the paranormal community. At the end of the day, we’re all explorers of the unknown — and whether believer, skeptic, or somewhere in between, curiosity is what keeps us searching.

We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to Eric, Amy, and everyone at GoblinCon and Hopkinsville Tourism for their hospitality and for providing such an incredible platform for connection and collaboration. It was an honor to represent the paranormal community and to share our process with those eager to learn more about responsible investigation and open-minded exploration.