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131-432: A ghosthunter is a person who engages in ghost hunting , the process of investigating locations that are allegedly haunted. Ghosthunter(s) , Ghost Hunter(s) or Ghost Hunt may also refer to: Ghost hunting Typically, a ghost-hunting team will attempt to collect "evidence" supporting the existence of paranormal activity . Ghost hunters also refer to themselves as paranormal investigators . Ghost hunters use

262-595: A 2016 reboot . The Ghostbusters concept was inspired by Aykroyd's fascination with the paranormal . The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes . It is the inaugural film in The Conjuring Universe franchise, in which Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren . Their purportedly real-life exploits inspired The Amityville Horror story and film franchise . In The Conjuring ,

393-583: A Jesuit seminary, entered federation with the university in 1979. In contrast with the constituent colleges, the colleges of Knox, Massey, Regis, St. Michael's, Trinity, Victoria and Wycliffe continue to exist as legally distinct entities, each possessing a separate financial endowment . While St. Michael's, Trinity and Victoria continue to recognize their religious affiliations and heritage, they have since adopted secular policies of enrolment and teaching in non-divinity subjects. Some colleges have, or once had, collegiate structures of their own: Emmanuel College

524-527: A low church seminary, both encouraged their students to study for non-divinity degrees at University College. In 1885, they entered a formal affiliation with the University of Toronto, and became federated schools in 1890. The idea of federation initially met strong opposition at Victoria University , a Methodist school in Cobourg , but a financial incentive in 1890 convinced the school to join. Decades after

655-528: A "demonic Speak & Spell" whose "phrases often sound like they were cherry picked from a John Carpenter flick". Ghost hunters use a variety of techniques and tools to investigate alleged paranormal activity. While there is no universal acceptance among ghost hunters of the following methodologies, a number of these are commonly used by ghost hunting groups. Ghost hunters may employ the assistance of psychics , mediums , or clairvoyants . Trance mediums and other " sensitive " individuals are thought to have

786-683: A Department of Psychical Research, and to loan the equipment of the National Laboratory and its library. The University of London Board of Studies in Psychology responded positively to this proposal. Price had a number of public disputes with the SPR, most notably regarding professed medium Rudi Schneider . Price exposed Frederick Tansley Munnings , who claimed to produce the independent "spirit" voices of Julius Caesar , Dan Leno , Hawley Harvey Crippen and King Henry VIII . Price also invented and used

917-439: A background in science that the methods used are both illogical and unscientific". Anyone can be a ghost investigator, "failing to consider alternative explanations for anomalous… phenomena", considering emotions and feelings as "evidence of ghostly encounters". "Improper and unscientific investigation methods" for example "using unproven tools and equipment", "sampling errors", "ineffectively using recording devices" and "focusing on

1048-535: A college be established in York. On March 15, 1827, a royal charter was formally issued by King George IV , proclaiming "from this time one College, with the style and privileges of a University ... for the education of youth in the principles of the Christian Religion , and for their instruction in the various branches of Science and Literature ... to continue for ever, to be called King's College." The granting of

1179-519: A doubling in their membership in the late 2000s, attributing this to the television programs. Despite its lack of acceptance in academic circles, the popularity of ghost-hunting reality TV shows has influenced a number of individuals to take up the pursuit. Small businesses offering ghost-hunting equipment and paranormal investigation services increased in the early 2000s. Many offer electromagnetic field (EMF) meters , infrared motion sensors and devices billed as "ghost detectors". The paranormal boom

1310-600: A dramatic renaissance after the 2003 SARS crisis, and it is now Canada's largest public health school, with more than 750 faculty, 800 students, and research and training partnerships with institutions throughout Toronto and the world. With more than $ 39 million in research funding per year, the School supports discovery in global health, tobacco impacts on health , occupational disease and disability, air pollution, inner city health, circumpolar health, and many other pressing issues in population health. The Temerty Faculty of Medicine

1441-420: A fall from a University of Toronto building. An offshoot of ghost hunting is the commercial ghost tour conducted by a local guide or tour operator who is often a member of a local ghost-hunting or paranormal investigation group. Since both the tour operators and owners of the reportedly haunted properties share profits of such enterprises (admissions vary depending on the location, length and other aspects of

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1572-596: A ghost in death?" are left underexplored. Additionally, Hill gives a historiography of the field of "modern paranormal interest: monsters , UFOs , and ghosts." Hill does not insult or ridicule the people she writes about, but explains their stories through case studies. Regal feels that this book will not deter believers in the paranormal, but it is an important part of a "growing literature on amateur paranormal research". Regal states that paranormal researchers are not engaging in scientific discovery but rather in "blithely in confirmation bias , selective evidence compiling, and

1703-593: A ghost-catching business in New York City . Ghostbusters was released in the United States on June 8, 1984, and grossed 242 million USD in the United States and more than 295 million USD worldwide, making it the highest-grossing comedy film of its time. It launched a media franchise , which includes two sequels ( Ghostbusters II and Ghostbusters: Afterlife ), two animated television series ( The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters ), video games , and

1834-639: A group of paranormal investigators, parapsychologists , and a spiritual medium named Tangina Barrons ( Zelda Rubinstein ) in their efforts to assist the family. A reboot of the series, Poltergeist , was directed by Gil Kenan and released on May 22, 2015, that features the host of a paranormal-themed TV show who comes to the aid of the family. Ghostbusters is a 1984 American fantasy comedy film produced and directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis . It stars Bill Murray , Aykroyd and Ramis as Peter Venkman , Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler , eccentric parapsychologists who start

1965-516: A model that resembles those of the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford in Britain. The colleges hold substantial autonomy over admissions, scholarships, programs and other academic and financial affairs, in addition to the housing and social duties of typical residential colleges . The system emerged in the 19th century, as ecclesiastical colleges considered various forms of union with

2096-527: A mote of dust or other particle, and are especially common with modern compact and ultra-compact digital cameras . Ghost Hunters features the activities of a Warwick, Rhode Island , ghost hunting group called The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS). Since 2004, the program has garnered some of the highest ratings of any Syfy network programming, presenting a mix of paranormal investigation and interpersonal drama. It has since been syndicated on NBCUniversal sister cable channel Oxygen and also airs on

2227-657: A picture is taken, sometimes it may be bugs or water droplets. He contends that "there are no plausible hypotheses that describe the mechanism by which a person who dies will become a hovering ball of light that appears on film but is invisible to the eye." He does not believe there is any science behind these beliefs; if there were, then there would be some kind of discussion of who, what and why this can happen. In his investigations he can not find any "plausible hypothesis" that orbs are anything paranormal. Science writer Sharon Hill reviewed over 1,000 "amateur research and investigation groups" (ARIGs), writing that "879 identified with

2358-560: A piece of apparatus known as a "voice control recorder" and proved that all the voices were those of Munnings. In 1928, Munnings admitted fraud and sold his confessions to a Sunday newspaper . In 1933, Frank Decker was investigated by Price at the National Laboratory of Psychical Research . Under strict scientific controls that Price contrived, Decker failed to produce any phenomena at all. Price's psychical research continued with investigations into Karachi's Indian rope trick and

2489-755: A range of services and facilities, including a library, restaurants, barbershops, an art gallery, a theatre, concerts, debates, study spaces, and a swimming pool. The confluence of assorted functions is the result of an effort to create a holistic educational experience, a goal summarized in the Founders' Prayer. The Hart House model was influential in the planning of student centres at other universities, notably Cornell University 's Willard Straight Hall . Hart House resembles some traditional aspects of student representation through its financial support of student clubs, and its standing committees and board of stewards that are composed mostly of undergraduate students. However,

2620-409: A successful series of sequels, all dealing with the paranormal and mysterious ghost sightings. Kinetic Games 's indie survival horror game sees the player(s) take on the role of ghost hunters contracted to explore various premises for ghosts. The game received a large influx of popularity after its September 2020 release due to many well-known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing it, mainly for

2751-639: A survey conducted in October 2008 by the Associated Press and Ipsos , 34 percent of Americans say they believe in the existence of ghosts . Moreover, a Gallup poll conducted on June 6–8, 2005, showed that about one-third (32%) of Americans believe that ghosts exist, with belief declining with age. Having surveyed three countries (the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom), the poll also mentioned that more people believe in haunted houses than any of

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2882-509: A team of paranormal investigators led by demonologist John Zaffis who investigate allegedly haunted locations in hopes of identifying and removing objects they believe can trigger supernatural activity. The objects are transported for eventual display in Zaffis's museum. The series premiered in 2011 on the Syfy cable television channel and was cancelled in 2013. Poltergeist is the original film in

3013-418: A variety of electronic devices, including EMF meters , digital thermometers , both handheld and static digital video cameras , including thermographic and night vision cameras , night vision goggles , and digital audio recorders . Other more traditional techniques are also used, such as conducting interviews and researching the history of allegedly haunted sites. Paranormal research dates back to

3144-512: Is a ceremonial boulevard and arterial thoroughfare that runs through downtown between Queen's Park and Front Street . The Spadina , St. George , Museum , Queen's Park , and St. Patrick stations of the Toronto subway system are nearby. The architecture is epitomized by a combination of Romanesque and Gothic Revival buildings spread across the eastern and central portions of campus, most dating between 1858 and 1929. The traditional heart of

3275-564: Is a college of Victoria and St. Hilda's College is part of Trinity; St. Joseph's College had existed as a college within St. Michael's until it was dissolved in 2006. Ewart College existed as an affiliated college until 1991, when it was merged into Knox College. Postgraduate theology degrees are conferred by the colleges of Knox, Regis and Wycliffe, along with the divinity faculties within Emmanuel, St. Michael's and Trinity, including joint degrees with

3406-566: Is a former ghost hunter turned scientific skeptic. In May 2018, Kenny Biddle, a skeptical investigator of paranormal claims, spent a night in the White Hill Mansion in Fieldsboro, New Jersey , along with a group of fellow skeptics. The mansion, built in 1757, has traditionally been visited by many ghost hunting teams who claim to have experienced paranormal activity and communicate with spirits via EVPs while there. According to Biddle, many of

3537-525: Is a prerequisite for those who desire to be "taken seriously in this field." Author John Potts says that the present day pursuit of "amateur ghost hunting" can be traced back to the spiritualist era and early organizations founded to investigate paranormal phenomena, like London 's The Ghost Club and the Society for Psychical Research , but that modern investigations are unrelated to academic parapsychology . Potts writes that modern ghost hunting groups ignore

3668-408: Is affiliated with a network of ten teaching hospitals , providing medical treatment, research and advisory services to patients and clients from Canada and abroad. A core member of the network is University Health Network , itself a specialized federation of Toronto General Hospital , Princess Margaret Cancer Centre , Toronto Western Hospital , and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute . Physicians in

3799-676: Is an early example of the North American student centre , simultaneously serving cultural, intellectual, and recreational interests within its large Gothic-revival complex. University of Toronto alumni include five Prime Ministers of Canada (including William Lyon Mackenzie King and Lester B. Pearson ), three Governors General of Canada , nine foreign leaders, and 17 justices of the Supreme Court of Canada . As of 2024 , 13 Nobel laureates , six Turing Award winners, 100 Rhodes Scholars , and one Fields Medalist have been affiliated with

3930-612: Is best known for his well-publicized investigation of the purportedly haunted Borley Rectory in Essex , England. Price's exploits were given wide exposure in a 1950 book, Harry Price: Biography of a Ghost Hunter by Paul Tabori. He was also a longstanding member of the Ghost Club based in London. Price joined the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) in 1920, and used his knowledge of stage magic to debunk fraudulent mediums. In 1922, he exposed

4061-420: Is hosting the annual convocation ceremonies, the building is a venue for academic and social events throughout the year. The sandstone buildings of Knox College epitomizes the North American collegiate Gothic design, with its characteristic cloisters surrounding a secluded courtyard. A lawn at the northeast is anchored by Hart House , a Gothic-revival student centre complex. Among its many common rooms,

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4192-587: Is such that some small ghost-hunting related businesses are enjoying increased profits through podcast and website advertising, books, DVDs , videos and other commercial enterprises. One ghost-hunting group called "A Midwest Haunting" based in Macomb, Illinois , reported that the number of people taking its tours had tripled, jumping from about 600 in 2006 to 1,800 in 2008. Others, such as Marie Cuff of "Idaho Spirit Seekers" pointed to increased traffic on their websites and message boards as an indication that ghost hunting

4323-502: Is the massive Robarts Library complex, built in 1972 and opened a year later in 1973. It features raised podia, extensive use of triangular geometric designs and a towering 14-storey concrete structure that cantilevers above a field of open space and mature trees. Sidney Smith Hall is the home to the Faculty of Arts and Science, as well as a few departments within the faculty. The Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building , completed in 2006, exhibits

4454-537: The Cornell Hospitality Quarterly in 2020 stated that "haunted tourism has allowed attractions like historic house museums as well as abandoned hospitals, schools and prisons 'to remain intact' or bring in the money needed to make necessary improvements". According to architectural historian Jen Levstik, revenues from haunted tourism can help fund historic preservation, "so long as the tours are also providing historically accurate information related to

4585-547: The Poltergeist trilogy , directed by Tobe Hooper , co-written by Steven Spielberg and released on June 4, 1982. The story focuses on the Freeling family, which consists of Steven ( Craig T. Nelson ), Diane ( JoBeth Williams ), Dana ( Dominique Dunne ), Robbie ( Oliver Robins ), and Carol Anne ( Heather O'Rourke ), who live in a California housing development called Cuesta Verde, which comes to be haunted by ghosts. The film depicts

4716-592: The "spirit" photographer William Hope . In the same year he traveled to Germany with Eric Dingwall and investigated Willi Schneider at the home of Baron Albert von Schrenck-Notzing in Munich . In 1923, Price exposed the medium Jan Guzyk . Price wrote that the photographs depicting the ectoplasm of the medium Eva Carrière taken with Schrenck-Notzing looked artificial and two-dimensional, made from cardboard and newspaper portraits and that there were no scientific controls as both her hands were free. In 1920 Carrière

4847-603: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research , the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council amounting to about one-third of the research budget. About eight per cent of research funding came from corporations, mostly in the healthcare industry . The first practical electron microscope was built by the physics department in 1938. During World War II,

4978-554: The Faculty of Medicine from Toronto-based philanthropists James and Louise Temerty . This broke the previous record for the school set in 2019 when Gerry Schwartz and Heather Reisman jointly donated $ 100 million for the creation of a 70,000-square-metre (750,000 sq ft) innovation and artificial intelligence centre. The Faculty of Medicine has been renamed the Temerty Faculty of Medicine in their honour. In December 2021,

5109-690: The Greco-Roman period, and the painting Adam and Eve by Lucas Cranach the Elder , dated from 1538. The University of Toronto Collection features Canadian contemporary art , while the University College Art Collection holds significant works by the Group of Seven and 19th century landscape artists . In the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities (also known as the Shanghai Ranking),

5240-700: The Group of Twenty , and the Citizen Lab , which conducts research on Internet censorship as a joint founder of the OpenNet Initiative . The university operates international offices in Berlin, Hong Kong and Siena . The Dalla Lana School of Public Health is a Faculty of the University of Toronto that began as one of the Schools of Hygiene begun by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1927. The School went through

5371-676: The Halloween season. The American entertainment web series BuzzFeed Unsolved included BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural episodes where hosts Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara discussed alleged ghosts, hauntings and demons, often seeking evidence of their existence. In 2019, Bergara and Madej left Buzzfeed to host a web series similar to Buzzfeed Unsolved Supernatural called Ghost Files in 2022, documenting their attempts to find evidence of supernatural beings and occurrences. Interest in ghost hunting has driven tourism to historical sites and locations claimed to be haunted. A study published in

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5502-735: The Hart House Debates were suspended, although exhibition and interfaculty games were still held. The David Dunlap Observatory in Richmond Hill opened in 1935, followed by the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies in 1949. By the 1961–62 academic year, the university had a total enrolment of 14,302 students, including 1,531 graduate students. The university opened suburban campuses in Scarborough in 1964 and in Mississauga in 1967. The university's former affiliated schools at

5633-512: The Ontario Agricultural College and Glendon Hall became fully independent of the University of Toronto and became part of University of Guelph in 1964 and York University in 1965, respectively. Beginning in the 1980s, reductions in government funding prompted more rigorous fundraising efforts. In 2000, geophysicist Kin-Yip Chun was reinstated as a professor of the university, after he launched an unsuccessful lawsuit against

5764-517: The Rotman School of Management . The Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering is the other major direct-entry undergraduate faculty. The University of Toronto is the birthplace of an influential school of thought on communication theory and literary criticism known as the Toronto School . Described as "the theory of the primacy of communication in the structuring of human cultures and

5895-653: The Spanish Civil War , the history of science and medicine , Canadiana and the history of books . The Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library has a rare 40,000-volume Chinese collection from the Song Dynasty (960–1279) to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) that was originally held by scholar Mu Xuexun (1880–1929). The Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library has the largest research collection for Hong Kong and Canada–Hong Kong studies outside of Hong Kong. The rest of

6026-625: The backfire effect while all the time complaining that it is the other side doing it… They, like all of us, are ultimately not searching for ghosts… they are looking for themselves." Kenny Biddle is the Chief Investigator for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and writes a column for Skeptical Inquirer called A Closer Look (2018–present), on his use of scientific skepticism to investigate paranormal claims, which include ghost photography, ghost hunting equipment and psychic ability. Biddle

6157-727: The fire-walking abilities of Kuda Bux . In 1936, Price broadcast from a supposedly haunted manor house in Meopham , Kent for the BBC and published The Confessions of a Ghost-Hunter and The Haunting of Cashen's Gap . This year also saw the transfer of Price's library on permanent loan to the University of London (see external links), followed shortly by the laboratory and investigative equipment. In 1937, he conducted further televised experiments into fire-walking with Ahmed Hussain at Carshalton and Alexandra Palace , and also rented Borley Rectory for one year. The following year, Price re-established

6288-444: The high-tech architectural style of glass and steel by British architect Norman Foster . The University of Toronto has traditionally been a decentralized institution, with governing authority shared among its central administration, academic faculties and colleges. The Governing Council is the unicameral legislative organ of the central administration, overseeing general academic, business and institutional affairs. Before 1971,

6419-461: The scientific method and instead follow a form of "techno- mysticism ". The popularity of ghost hunting has led to some injuries. Unaware that a "spooky home" in Worthington, Ohio , was occupied, a group of teenagers stepped on the edge of the property to explore. The homeowner fired on the teenagers' automobile as they were leaving, seriously injuring one. A woman hunting for ghosts was killed in

6550-533: The 1940s, Price concentrated on writing and the works The Most Haunted House in England , Poltergeist Over England and The End of Borley Rectory were all published. Price's friends included other debunkers of fraudulent mediums such as Harry Houdini and the journalist Ernest Palmer . Edward Warren Miney (1926–2006) and Lorraine Rita Warren (née Moran, 1927–2019) were American paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent reports of haunting from

6681-597: The 1950s to the present. Edward was a World War II United States Navy veteran who became a self-taught and self-professed demonologist , author, and lecturer. Lorraine professes to be clairvoyant and a light trance medium who worked closely with her husband. In 1952, the Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research , the oldest ghost hunting group in New England . They authored numerous books about

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6812-476: The 1976 Amityville Horror case in which New York couple George and Kathy Lutz claimed that their house was haunted by a violent, demonic presence so intense that it eventually drove them out of their home. The Amityville Horror Conspiracy authors Stephen and Roxanne Kaplan characterized the case as a "hoax". Lorraine Warren told a reporter for The Express-Times newspaper that the Amityville Horror

6943-599: The British colonial elite, known as the Family Compact . Reformist politicians opposed the clergy's control over colonial institutions and fought to have the college secularized . In 1849, after a lengthy and heated debate, the newly elected responsible government of the Province of Canada voted to rename King's College as the University of Toronto and severed the school's ties with the church. Having anticipated this decision,

7074-661: The British use of wit . Smaller debating societies at Trinity, University and Victoria College have served as initial training grounds for debaters who later progress to Hart House. The club won the World Universities Debating Championship in 1981 and 2006. The North American Model United Nations (NAMUN) hosts an annual Model United Nations conference on campus, while the United Nations Society participates in various North American and international conferences. The Toronto chess team has captured

7205-780: The Canadian cable network, OLN . In addition to their television venture, TAPS hosts a three-hour weekly radio show called Beyond Reality , operates a website where they share their stories, photographs, and ghost hunting videos with members. TAPS cast members also appear at lectures, conferences and public events. Ghost Adventures premiered in 2008 on the Travel Channel . The TV series features ghost hunters Zak Bagans , Nick Groff (seasons 1–10), Aaron Goodwin , Billy Tolley , and Jay Wasley as they investigate reportedly haunted locations hoping to collect visual or auditory evidence of paranormal activity . Haunted Collector features

7336-418: The Ghost Club, with himself as chairman, modernizing it and changing it from a spiritualist association to a group of more or less open-minded skeptics that gathered to discuss paranormal topics. He was also the first to admit women to the club. Price drafted a bill for the regulation of psychic practitioners, and in 1939, he organized a national telepathic test in the periodical John O'London's Weekly . During

7467-525: The Niagara border in 1866. The Corps was part of the Reserve Militia led by professor Henry Croft . Established in 1878, the School of Practical Science was the precursor to the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering , which has been nicknamed Skule since its earliest days. While the Faculty of Medicine opened in 1843, medical teaching was conducted by proprietary schools from 1853 until 1887 when

7598-446: The United States, alongside McGill University . Academically, the University of Toronto is noted for influential movements and curricula in literary criticism and communication theory , known collectively as the Toronto School . The university was the birthplace of insulin , stem cell research, the first artificial cardiac pacemaker , and the site of the first successful lung transplant and nerve transplant. The university

7729-758: The University of Toronto announced the launch of the Defy Gravity campaign, the largest fundraising campaign in Canadian history, with a goal of raising $ 4 billion for the university. The university grounds lie about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the Financial District in Downtown Toronto , immediately north of Chinatown and the Discovery District , and immediately south of the neighbourhoods of Yorkville and The Annex . The site encompasses 55.8 hectares (138 acres) bounded mostly by Bay Street to

7860-457: The University of Toronto in 1921 is considered among the most significant events in the history of medicine . The stem cell was discovered at the university in 1963, forming the basis for bone marrow transplantation and all subsequent research on adult and embryonic stem cells . This was the first of many findings at Toronto relating to stem cells, including the identification of pancreatic and retinal stem cells. The cancer stem cell

7991-430: The University of Toronto is Hart House , a neo-Gothic student activity centre that was initiated and financed by alumnus-benefactor Vincent Massey and named for his grandfather Hart . Opened in 1919, the complex aimed to establish a communitarian student culture in the university and its students, who at the time kept largely within their own colleges under the decentralized collegiate system. The Hart House offers

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8122-399: The University of Toronto to ensure their viability. The desire to preserve religious traditions in a secular institution resulted in the federative collegiate model that came to characterize the university. University College was the founding nondenominational college, created in 1853 after the university was secularized. Knox College , a Presbyterian institution, and Wycliffe College ,

8253-483: The University of Toronto was named the top research university in Canada by Research Infosource, with a sponsored research income (external sources of funding) of $ 1,234.278 million in 2020. In the same year, the university's faculty averaged a sponsored research income of $ 446,600, while graduate students averaged a sponsored research income of $ 61,000. The federal government was the largest source of funding, with grants from

8384-570: The Warrens come to the assistance of the Perron family, who experience increasingly disturbing events in their farmhouse in Rhode Island in 1971. The Conjuring was released in the United States and Canada on July 19, 2013, and grossed over 319 million USD worldwide. A sequel, The Conjuring 2 , was released on June 10, 2016, and a prequel, Annabelle , directed by John R. Leonetti , written by Gary Dauberman and produced by Peter Safran and James Wan

8515-409: The ability to identify and make contact with spiritual entities. Demonologists , exorcists , and clergy may be brought in to say prayers , give blessings , or perform rituals for the purpose of cleansing a location of alleged ghosts , demons , poltergeists , or " negative energy ". Hunters may also collect local testimony and accounts about alleged hauntings, and research the history behind

8646-477: The anemic and shoddy scholarship of popular paranormal investigation, the public, unaware of the fundamental errors ARIGs make, can be persuaded by jargon and "sciencey" symbols. Hill sees the supernatural bias of such groups as an indication of how "far removed ARIG participants really are from the established scientific community". In Hill's 2017 book Scientifical Americans, reviewed by historian Brian Regal for Skeptical Inquirer magazine, Regal notes that

8777-434: The area; however, there are many natural explanations for rapid temperature variations within structures, and there is no scientifically confirmed evidence that spirit entities exist or can affect air temperatures. Some ghost hunters claim that circular artifacts appearing in photographs are spirits of the dead or other paranormal phenomena; however, such visual artifacts are a result of flash photography illuminating

8908-507: The audio. Biddle subsequently reset the experiment and has offered a prize to ghost hunters for proof of their claim that they can obtain direct answers from spirits via EVP. Biddle has also criticized what he calls "paranormal gadgets" that are popular with ghost hunters, such as the Ovilus, a device designed to respond to electromagnetic field variations with words from a pre-programmed dictionary, which, according to Popular Mechanics resemble

9039-460: The book is particurarly timely, as it addresses an era when many people question the authority of science. Regal wonders why believers think that "untutored amateurs know more (and are more trustworthy) than professional scholars". He also asks why there is little discussion on "philosophical and theological aspects of their work". For instance, theoretical questions such as "What is a ghost?" and "Does one's religion in life determine if they can become

9170-518: The building's Great Hall is noted for large stained-glass windows and a long quotation from John Milton 's Areopagitica inscribed around the walls. The adjacent Soldiers' Tower stands 143 feet (44 m) tall as the most prominent structure in the vicinity, its stone arches etched with the names of university members lost to the battlefields of the two World Wars. The tower houses a 51-bell carillon played on special occasions such as Remembrance Day and convocation. North of University College,

9301-552: The buried Taddle Creek , linking with Trinity College, Varsity Arena and the Faculty of Law . Victoria College is on the eastern side of Queen's Park, centred on a Romanesque main building made of contrasting red sandstone and grey limestone. Developed after the Second World War , the western section of the campus consists mainly of modernist and internationalist structures that house laboratories and faculty offices. The most significant example of Brutalist architecture

9432-443: The category of 'ghosts'". Hill reports that many groups used the terms "science" or "scientific" when describing themselves; however they overwhelmingly display neither understanding of nor adherence to scientific norms. Hill writes: ARIGs often promote their paranormalist viewpoint as scientifically based, especially in community presentations or lectures at educational facilities. While scientifically minded observers can readily spot

9563-468: The charter was largely the result of intense lobbying by John Strachan , the influential future first Anglican Bishop of Toronto who took office as the college's first president. The original three-storey Greek Revival school building was built on the present site of Queen's Park . Under Strachan's stewardship, King's College was a religious institution closely aligned with the Church of England and

9694-502: The country's legal education system away from the apprenticeship model that prevailed until the mid-20th century. The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education is the teachers college of the university, affiliated with its two laboratory schools , the Institute of Child Study and the University of Toronto Schools (a private high school run by the university). Autonomous institutes at

9825-511: The creation of New College in 1962, Innis College in 1964 and Woodsworth College in 1974, all of them nondenominational. Along with University College, they comprise the university's constituent colleges, which are established and funded by the central administration and are therefore financially dependent. Massey College was established in 1963 by the Massey Foundation as a college exclusively for graduate students. Regis College ,

9956-755: The death of John Strachan, the Anglican seminary Trinity College entered federation in 1904, followed in 1910 by St. Michael's College , a Roman Catholic college founded by the Basilian Fathers . Among the institutions that had considered federation but ultimately remained independent were McMaster University , a Baptist school that later moved to Hamilton , and Queen's College, a Presbyterian school in Kingston that later became Queen's University . Constituent colleges Theological colleges Federated colleges Postgraduate college The post-war era saw

10087-488: The east, Bloor Street to the north, Spadina Avenue to the west and College Street to the south. An enclave surrounded by university grounds, Queen's Park , contains the Ontario Legislative Building and several historic monuments. With its green spaces and many interlocking courtyards, the university forms a distinct region of urban parkland in the city's downtown core. The namesake University Avenue

10218-582: The enraged Strachan had resigned a year earlier to open Trinity College as a private Anglican seminary. University College was created as the nondenominational teaching branch of the University of Toronto. During the American Civil War , the threat of Union blockade on British North America prompted the creation of the University Rifle Corps , which saw battle in resisting the Fenian raids on

10349-575: The faculty absorbed the Toronto School of Medicine. Meanwhile, the university continued to set examinations and confer medical degrees. The university opened the Faculty of Law in 1887, followed by the Faculty of Dentistry in 1888 when the Royal College of Dental Surgeons became an affiliate. Women were first admitted to the university in 1884. A devastating fire in 1890 gutted the interior of University College and destroyed 33,000 volumes from

10480-470: The first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada . Originally controlled by the Church of England , the university assumed its present name in 1850 upon becoming a secular institution. As a collegiate university , it comprises 11 colleges each with substantial autonomy on financial and institutional affairs and significant differences in character and history. The university maintains three campuses,

10611-559: The ghost hunters claimed that the EVPs they obtained "were not just random responses; they were direct, intelligent responses to specific questions". To challenge these claims, Biddle's group conducted a controlled experiment: the group recorded audio while asking any spirits in the Mansion to help them in locating a small foam toy hidden somewhere on the premises by a third party. They asked direct questions, but no responses were detected during review of

10742-578: The history of the location... and not the phenomena". In his article for Skeptical Inquirer Radford concludes that ghost hunters should care about doing a truly scientific investigation: "I believe that if ghosts exist, they are important and deserve to be taken seriously. Most of the efforts to investigate ghosts so far have been badly flawed and unscientific – and, not surprisingly, fruitless." Although some ghost hunters believe orbs are of supernatural origin, skeptic Brian Dunning says that they are usually particles of dust that are reflected by light when

10873-567: The largest ever research grant in Canada, a $ 200 million grant from the Government of Canada in 2023. The Varsity Blues are the athletic teams that represent the university in intercollegiate league matches, primarily within U Sports , with ties to gridiron football , rowing and ice hockey. The earliest recorded instance of gridiron football occurred at University of Toronto's University College in November 1861. The university's Hart House

11004-464: The libraries, Robarts Library , holds about five million bound volumes that form the main collection for humanities and social sciences . The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library constitutes one of the largest repositories of publicly accessible rare books and manuscripts . Its collections range from ancient Egyptian papyri to incunabula and libretti ; the subjects of focus include British, Western and Canadian literature , Aristotle , Darwin ,

11135-687: The library collections are dispersed at departmental and faculty libraries in addition to about 1.3 million bound volumes the colleges hold. The university has collaborated with the Internet Archive since 2005 to digitize some of its library holdings. Housed within University College, the University of Toronto Art Centre contains three major art collections. The Malcove Collection is primarily represented by Early Christian and Byzantine sculptures, bronzeware, furniture, icons and liturgical items. It also includes glassware and stone reliefs from

11266-566: The library, but the university restored the building and replenished its library within two years. Over the next two decades, a collegiate system took shape as the university arranged federation with several ecclesiastical colleges, including Strachan's Trinity College in 1904. The university operated the Royal Conservatory of Music from 1896 to 1991 and the Royal Ontario Museum from 1912 to 1968; both still retain close ties with

11397-521: The main students' unions on administrative and policy issues are the University of Toronto Students' Union , Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students and the Graduate Students' Union. Student representative bodies also exist at the various colleges, academic faculties and departments. The Hart House Debating Club employs a debating style that combines the American emphasis on analysis and

11528-477: The main building of Trinity College displays Jacobethan Tudor architecture , while its chapel was built in the Perpendicular Gothic style of Giles Gilbert Scott . The chapel features exterior walls of sandstone and interiors of Indiana Limestone and was built by Italian stonemasons using ancient building methods. Philosopher's Walk is a scenic footpath that follows a meandering, wooded ravine ,

11659-433: The medical institutes have cross-appointments to faculty and supervisory positions in university departments. The Rotman School of Management developed the discipline and methodology of integrative thinking , upon which the school used to base its curriculum. Founded in 1887, the Faculty of Law 's emphasis on formal teachings of liberal arts and legal theory was then considered unconventional, but gradually helped shift

11790-623: The more famous hauntings, such as Amityville and the Snedeker family haunting, did not happen and had been invented. Stories of ghosts and hauntings popularized by the Warrens have been adapted as or have indirectly inspired dozens of films, television series and documentaries, including 17 films in the Amityville Horror series and six films in The Conjuring Universe including Annabelle , Annabelle: Creation , and Annabelle Comes Home , spin-off prequels of The Conjuring . According to

11921-432: The nineteenth century, with organizations such as the Society for Psychical Research investigating spiritual matters. Psychic researcher Harry Price published his Confessions of a Ghost-Hunter in 1936. Ghost hunting was popularized in the 2000s by television series such as Most Haunted and Ghost Hunters , combined with the increasing availability of high-tech equipment. The Atlantic Paranormal Society reported

12052-484: The oldest of which is St. George, located in downtown Toronto . The other two satellite campuses are located in Scarborough and Mississauga . The University of Toronto offers over 700 undergraduate and 200 graduate programs. The university receives the most annual scientific research funding and endowment of any Canadian university. It is also one of two members of the Association of American Universities outside

12183-583: The other paranormal items tested, with 37% of Americans, 28% of Canadians, and 40% of Britons believing. In 2002, the National Science Foundation identified haunted houses, ghosts, and communication with the dead among pseudoscientific beliefs. Critics question ghost hunting's methodology, particularly its use of instrumentation, as there is no scientifically proven link between the existence of ghosts and cold spots or electromagnetic fields . According to skeptical investigator Joe Nickell ,

12314-607: The paranormal and about their private investigations into various reports of paranormal activity. They claimed to have investigated over 1,000 cases during their career, and have been involved with various supernatural claims such as the Snedeker family haunting, the Enfield Poltergeist and the Smurl haunting , as well as claims of demonic possession in the Trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson . The Warrens are best known for their involvement in

12445-425: The property [and] the humanity of the people at those properties, and not just the salacious things that can't be backed up beyond hearsay or rumor." University of Toronto The University of Toronto ( UToronto or U of T ) is a public research university in Toronto , Ontario , Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park . It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College ,

12576-472: The publication of the first observational evidence proving the existence of black holes . Toronto astronomers have also discovered the Uranian moons of Caliban and Sycorax , the dwarf galaxies of Andromeda I , II and III , and the supernova SN 1987A . A pioneer in computing technology, the university designed and built UTEC , one of the world's first operational computers, and later purchased Ferut ,

12707-463: The publication placed the university 19th in the world. In the 2024–25 U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking , the university ranked 17th in the world, and first in Canada. The Canadian-based Maclean's magazine ranked the University of Toronto second in their 2022–2023 Medical Doctoral university category. Maclean's 2023 university rankings also ranked the University of Toronto first in its reputation survey. The university

12838-759: The recorder, EMF detectors can be set off by faulty wiring, microwave towers, iron, recording equipment, or cell phones, and heat sensors can pick up reflections off of mirrors or other metal surfaces. Nickell has also criticized the practice of searching only in the dark, saying that since some ghosts are described as "shadows or dark entities," he conducts searches in lighted rather than darkened conditions. According to investigator Benjamin Radford , most ghost-hunting groups, including The Atlantic Paranormal Society , make many methodological mistakes. According to Radford, "[a]fter watching episodes of Ghost Hunters and other similar programs, it quickly becomes clear to anyone with

12969-531: The second commercial computer after UNIVAC I . Multi-touch technology was developed at Toronto, with applications ranging from handheld devices to high-end drawing monitors to collaboration walls . The AeroVelo Atlas , which won the Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition in 2013, was developed by the university's team of students and graduates and was tested in Vaughan . The discovery of insulin at

13100-464: The site being investigated. According to ghost hunters, a cold spot is an area of localized coldness or a sudden decrease in ambient temperature . Temperature decreases claimed to be associated with cold spots range from a few degrees Fahrenheit to over 40 degrees. Many ghost hunters use digital thermometers or heat sensing devices to measure such temperature changes. Believers claim that cold spots are an indicator of paranormal or spirit activity in

13231-543: The structuring of the human mind", the school is rooted in the works of Eric A. Havelock and Harold Innis and the subsequent contributions of Edmund Snow Carpenter , Northrop Frye and Marshall McLuhan . Since 1963, the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology of the Faculty of Information has carried the mandate for teaching and advancing the Toronto School. Several notable works in arts and humanities are based at

13362-469: The séance Valiantine claimed to have contacted the "spirit" of the composer Luigi Arditi , speaking in Italian . Price wrote down every word that was attributed to Arditi and they were found to be word-for-word matches in an Italian phrase-book. In 1926, Price formed the National Laboratory of Psychical Research as a rival to the SPR. Price made a formal offer to the University of London to equip and endow

13493-455: The time: "Until I reached Toronto," remarked Lord Dufferin during his visit in 1872, "I confess I was not aware that so magnificent a specimen of architecture existed upon the American continent ." The building was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1968. Built in 1907, Convocation Hall is recognizable for its domed roof and Ionic -pillared rotunda. Although its foremost function

13624-466: The tour), some believe the claims of hauntings are exaggerated or fabricated in order to increase attendance. The city of Savannah, Georgia , is said to be the American city with the most ghost tours, having more than 31 as of 2003. Harry Price (1881–1948) was a British parapsychologist , psychic researcher and author who gained public prominence for his investigations into psychical phenomena and his exposing of fraudulent spiritualist mediums . He

13755-574: The typical ghost hunter is practicing pseudoscience . Nickell says that ghost hunters often arm themselves with EMF meters , thermometers that can identify cold spots, and wireless microphones that eliminate background noise, pointing out the equipment being used to try to detect ghosts is not designed for the job. "The least likely explanation for any given reading is it is a ghost," maintains Nickell. Orbs of light that show up on photos, he says, are often particles of dust or moisture. " Voices " picked up by tape recorders can be radio signals or noise from

13886-457: The university alleging racial discrimination. In 2017, a human rights application was filed against the University by one of its students for allegedly delaying the investigation of sexual assault and being dismissive of their concerns. In 2018, the university cleared one of its professors of allegations of discrimination and antisemitism in an internal investigation, after a complaint was filed by one of its students. The University of Toronto

14017-559: The university as independent institutions. The University of Toronto Press was founded in 1901 as Canada's first academic publishing house . The Faculty of Forestry, founded in 1907 with Bernhard Fernow as dean, was Canada's first university faculty devoted to forest science. In 1910, the Faculty of Education opened its laboratory school , the University of Toronto Schools . The First and Second World Wars curtailed some university activities as undergraduate and graduate men eagerly enlisted. Intercollegiate athletic competitions and

14148-552: The university developed the G-suit , a life-saving garment worn by Allied fighter plane pilots, later adopted for use by astronauts. Development of the infrared chemiluminescence technique improved analyses of energy behaviours in chemical reactions. In 1963, the asteroid 2104 Toronto is discovered in the David Dunlap Observatory in Richmond Hill and is named after the university. In 1972, studies on Cygnus X-1 led to

14279-483: The university fourth in the world, and first in Canada. The University Ranking by Academic Performance 2019–2020 rankings placed the university second in the world, and first in Canada. Along with academic and research-based rankings, the university has also been ranked by publications that evaluate the employment prospects of its graduates. In the Times Higher Education's 2022 global employability ranking,

14410-531: The university grounds in Toronto's Discovery District , conducting $ 1 billion of medical research annually. MaRS Discovery District is a research park that serves commercial enterprises and the university's technology transfer ventures. In 2008, the university disclosed 159 inventions and had 114 active start-up companies. Its SciNet Consortium operates the most powerful supercomputer in Canada. A notable hub for social, cultural and recreational activities at

14541-907: The university include the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics , the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies and the Fields Institute . Within the Faculty of Arts and Science, notable departments include the Department of Mathematics . The University of Toronto Libraries is the third-largest academic library system in North America, following those of Harvard and Yale , measured by number of volumes held. Its collections include more than 12 million print books, 1.9 million digital books, over 160,000 journal titles, and close to 30,000 metres of archival materials. The largest of

14672-538: The university operated the Connaught Medical Research Laboratories , now part of the pharmaceutical corporation Sanofi-Aventis . Among the research conducted at the laboratory was the development of gel electrophoresis . The University of Toronto is the primary research presence that supports one of the world's largest concentrations of biotechnology firms. More than 5,000 principal investigators reside within 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from

14803-463: The university ranked 11th in the world, and first in Canada. In QS's 2022 graduate employability ranking, the university ranked 21st in the world, and first in Canada. In a 2013 employment survey conducted by the New York Times , the University of Toronto was ranked 14th in the world. In 2018, the University of Toronto Entrepreneurship was ranked the fourth best university-based incubator in

14934-483: The university ranked 22nd in the world and first in Canada. The 2023 QS World University Rankings ranked the university 21st in the world, and first in Canada. In 2019, it ranked 11th among the universities around the world by SCImago Institutions Rankings . The 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked the university 18th in the world, and first in Canada. In the Times' 2020 reputational ranking,

15065-787: The university through the Toronto School of Theology . The Faculty of Arts and Science is the university's main undergraduate faculty, and administers most of the courses in the college system. While the colleges are not entirely responsible for teaching duties, most of them house specialized academic programs and lecture series. Among other subjects, Trinity College is associated with programs in international relations , as are University College with Canadian studies , Victoria College with Renaissance studies , Innis College with film studies and urban studies , New College with gender studies , Woodsworth College with industrial relations and St. Michael's College with Medieval studies . The faculty teaches undergraduate commerce in collaboration with

15196-428: The university was governed under a bicameral system composed of the board of governors and the university senate. The chancellor, usually a former governor general , lieutenant governor , premier or diplomat, is the ceremonial head of the university. The president is appointed by the council as the chief executive. Unlike most North American institutions, the University of Toronto is a collegiate university with

15327-590: The university's various programs and curricula in international affairs, foreign policy, and public policy . As the Cold War heightened, Toronto's Slavic studies program evolved into an important institution on Soviet politics and economics, financed by the Rockefeller , Ford and Mellon foundations. The Munk School is also home to the G20 Research Group , which conducts independent monitoring and analysis on

15458-672: The university, including the Dictionary of Canadian Biography since 1959 and the Collected Works of Erasmus since 1969. The Records of Early English Drama collects and edits the surviving documentary evidence of dramatic arts in pre- Puritan England, while the Dictionary of Old English compiles the early vocabulary of the English language from the Anglo-Saxon period. The Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy encompasses

15589-408: The university, known as Front Campus, is near the campus centre in an oval lawn enclosed by King's College Circle. The centrepiece is the main building of University College , built in 1857 with an eclectic blend of Richardsonian Romanesque and Norman architectural elements. The dramatic effect of this blended design by architect Frederick William Cumberland drew praise from European visitors of

15720-582: The university. The founding of a colonial college had long been the desire of John Graves Simcoe , the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and founder of York , the colonial capital. As an Oxford -educated military commander who had fought in the American Revolutionary War , Simcoe believed a college was needed to counter the spread of republicanism from the United States . The Upper Canada Executive Committee recommended in 1798 that

15851-441: The world by UBI Global in the "World Top Business Incubator – Managed by a University" category. Since 1926, the University of Toronto has been a member of the Association of American Universities , a consortium of the leading North American research universities. The university manages by far the largest annual research budget of any university in Canada with sponsored direct-cost expenditures of $ 878 million in 2010. In 2021,

15982-463: Was "refuted by eyewitnesses, investigations and forensic evidence". In 1979, lawyer William Weber reportedly stated that he, Jay Anson , and the occupants "invented" the horror story "over many bottles of wine". General criticism of the Warrens include those by skeptics Perry DeAngelis and Steven Novella , who investigated the Warrens' evidence and described it as "blarney". Skeptical investigators Joe Nickell and Ben Radford also concluded that

16113-427: Was also home to the first electron microscope , the development of deep learning , neural network , multi-touch technology, the identification of the first black hole Cygnus X-1 , and the development of the theory of NP-completeness . The University of Toronto is the recipient of both the single largest philanthropic gift in Canadian history, a $ 250 million donation from James and Louise Temerty in 2020, and

16244-447: Was becoming more accepted. Participants say that ghost hunting allows them to enjoy the friendship of like-minded people and actively pursue their interest in the paranormal. According to Jim Willis of "Ghosts of Ohio", his group's membership had doubled, growing to 30 members since it was founded in 1999 and includes both true believers and total skeptics. Willis says his group is "looking for answers, one way or another" and that skepticism

16375-409: Was first identified in 1997 by Toronto researchers, who have since found stem cell associations in leukemia , brain tumours and colorectal cancer . Medical inventions developed at Toronto include the glycaemic index , the infant cereal Pablum , the use of protective hypothermia in open heart surgery and the first artificial cardiac pacemaker . The first successful single-lung transplant

16506-409: Was investigated by psychical researchers in London. An analysis of her ectoplasm revealed it to be made of chewed paper. She was also investigated in 1922 and the result of the tests were negative. In 1925, Price investigated Maria Silbert and caught her using her feet and toes to move objects in the séance room. He also investigated the "direct voice" mediumship of George Valiantine in London. In

16637-402: Was not a hoax. The reported haunting was the basis for the 1977 book The Amityville Horror , which was adapted into the 1979 and 2005 movies of the same name, while also serving as inspiration for the film series that followed. The Warrens' version of events is partially adapted and portrayed in the opening sequence of The Conjuring 2 (2016). According to Benjamin Radford , the story

16768-546: Was performed at Toronto in 1981, followed by the first nerve transplant in 1988, and the first double-lung transplant in 1989. Researchers identified the maturation promoting factor that regulates cell division , and discovered the T-cell receptor , which triggers responses of the immune system. The university is credited with isolating the genes that cause Fanconi anemia , cystic fibrosis and early-onset Alzheimer's disease , among numerous other diseases. Between 1914 and 1972,

16899-596: Was ranked in spite of having opted out—along with several other universities in Canada—of participating in Maclean's graduate survey since 2006. The university's research performance has been noted in several bibliometric university rankings, which use citation analysis to evaluate the impact a university has on academic publications. In 2019, the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities ranked

17030-511: Was released in 2014. A 2002 point and click mystery game set in the fictional town of Dowerton, England, where the abandoned Station Hotel has become the location of numerous disappearances, and is reported to be haunted. The players take the role of a man in the search for his lost brother, an architect who vanished while doing scouting and evaluation for a building company. A local team of ghost hunters disappeared there too, leaving all of their equipment and documentation behind. The game spawned

17161-470: Was the first Canadian university to amass a financial endowment greater than one billion dollars in 2007. From 2011 to 2018, the university embarked on the Boundless fundraising campaign, which concluded in 2018 at $ 2.641 billion raised, setting a new all-time fundraising record in Canada. On September 24, 2020, the university announced the single largest donation in Canadian history, a $ 250 million gift to

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