Ghost Hounds: Georgia-based Ghost-hunting Paranormal Investigation Team

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of people interested in seriously studying the paranormal in as scientific a way as possible, especially in the matter of ghosts. According to the Harris Poll, 4 out of every 10 Americans believe in ghosts. Add to that a healthy number of skeptics who still want to try to find out the cause of so-called ghost sightings and paranormal activity, and it is no wonder that paranormal investigation has become a popular subject. This is especially evident on television. Witness the success of Ghost Hunters on the Sci-Fi channel and Most Haunted on the Travel Channel. Another "ghost hunter" gaining attention in the media is Patrick Burns, recently chosen to star in Court TV's new series, "Haunting Evidence."

Burns and the group he founded, Ghost Hounds, are based in metro Atlanta, Georgia. Ghost Hounds is the largest paranormal investigation group in the Southeast. Its website (www.ghosthounds.com) is in the top ten of all paranormal websites in the world, with over 500,000 page views each month. Membership in the website and the group is free. To quote the website membership information: "We ask members to open their minds; not their wallets."

The team also performs investigations for free for people and organizations who feel they may be experiencing paranormal events in their location. They have investigated museums, courthouses, cemetaries, individual dwellings, and a host of other buidings and locations.

The group welcomes not only those who are already believers, but skeptics and anyone who is willing to be open-minded enough to seek unbiased evidence.

Mr. Burns himself tries to maintain objectivity. "I am first and foremost a skeptic. Not a cynic who just dismisses. I question everything with an open, objective mind," he explains.