Dictionary of Paranormal Terms - C

Candle Wick Effect
A known effect that is thought to explain Spontaneous Human Combustion cases in which the charred remains of the victim are found in an otherwise untouched room of their house. It is thought that a victim of apparent SHC may fall and become unconscious in the vicinity of a naked flame, such as a fireplace or candle. In certain circumstances once the victim's clothes had caught fire, the body and clothes of the victim would act as a sort of inside out candle, with the clothes acting as a wick, and the victim's own body fat acting as the candle wax. This would result in a fierce but localised fire that would burn the body of the victim over the course of several hours. It is now believed that this explains SHC cases such as that of Mary Reeser.

Chemtrails Conspiracy
A recently devised theory that claims that the trails of vapour coming out of the back of high altitude aircraft, is some sort of chemical spray that is being applied to the population without anyone knowing about it. Few who believe in this theory however can give any satisfactory explanation as to how or why such a project would ever be undertaken by world governments.

Chupacabra
An alleged predatorial creature in South America that is said to drink the blood of various farm animals, leaving corpses in the fields with incision wounds on their necks.The stories of this creature have become something of a legend in recent years, and there is now quite an interest worldwide. There have been expeditions aimed at finding evidence of the creature, but so far nothing conclusive has been found. Some people have claimed that they've seen the creature in remote areas, often in the act of attacking a farm animal. Some reports describe the beast as being like a large cat/dog, while other's have described it as being similar to the classic alien 'gray' appearance. It is often described as having 'spines' down it's back, but on the whole these reports vary. This makes it hard to believe in the validity of such claims. If each person is describing something different, it's difficult to tie these reports to the sightings of just a single animal.There have been many alleged reports of Chupacabras footprints, dung and even a corpse, but none have been sufficient to prove the beasts validity.

Clairaudience
Clairvoyance is French for 'Clear Hearing'. It is a word that refers to the ability to perceive sounds and voices that cannot be discerned through normal hearing. Many Mediums use Clairaudience when contacting the deceased, it can enable them to hear sounds and voices associated with a Spirit.

Clairaudient
A person claiming to have Clairaudience.

Clairsentience
The combination of Clairaudience and Clairvoyance. It can also include the ability to perceive emotions, taste and other physical sensations that cannot be discerned via the normal senses.

Clairsentient
A person claiming to have Clairsentience.

Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance is French for 'Clear Seeing'. It is a word that refers to the ability to perceive people and objects that cannot otherwise be discerned via the normal senses. Many mediums use Clairvoyance when contacting the deceased, it can enable them to visually perceive a Spirit.

Clairvoyant
A person who claims to have Clairvoyance.

Close Encounters of the First Kind
According to the Hynek Classification System, a Close Encounter of the first kind defines a sighting of an Unidentified Flying Object, but with absolutely no interaction between the object and the witness or the environment.

Close Encounters of the Second Kind
According to the Hynek Classification System, a Close Encounter of the second kind defines a sighting of an Unidentified Flying Object, where the object interacts in some way with the environment. This could include interference with electrical systems, to landing marks, burns and physically measurable effects to plants, trees, animals or people.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
According to the Hynek Classification System, a Close Encounter of the third kind defines a sighting of an Unidentified Flying Object, in which the alleged Alien occupants of the object have also been witnessed. The communication or interaction between the witness and the entities in question has also been included in this classification.

Coelacanth
Up until 1938, the Coelacanth was thought to be an extinct lobe-finned fish that died out some 350 million years ago, long before the Dinosaurs disappeared. Amazingly, in December 1938 Hendrick Goosen caught a live Coelacanth in the waters of the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Cape Town in South Africa. The discovery of living Coelacanths is used to demonstrate that there could be many more prehistoric species in the depths of the sea that we still consider to be long extinct.

Cottingly Fairies
One of the greatest hoaxes of the 20th Century, the Cottingley Fairies were the subject of a series of photographs taken by 16 year old Elsie Wright and her 9 year old cousin Francis Giffiths in the summer of 1917. The photos were of considerable interest at the time to Arthur Conan Doyle, who famously believed them to be genuine beyond doubt. The photographs were taken two months apart, at Cottingley beck, a small Brook near their home that they visited often. It was here that they claimed to have witnessed Fairies, especially Francis, who swore for the rest of her life that they had indeed seen them.When asked about why they went to the brook one day, that Francis described the Fairies that she had seen there, and Elsie backed her up. The photographs, they said, proved that there were fairies at Cottingley beck. It wasn't until many many years later that either of them admitted that the photographs were faked, although by this time it was doubtful that the photos were genuine anyway.It was not until 1983 that Elsie, then aged 83, finally admitted that the photographs had been faked. She claimed that they had been made with pictures cut out of Magazines, held up with hatpins. Francis however, still maintained that she had seen Fairies at Cottingley Beck, and that despite the fact that four of the photographs were indeed fake, the fifth was genuine.

Crop Circles
One of the most hotly debated unexplained phenomena of modern times is the strange appearance of crop circles in fields all over the world, but especially in some areas of southern England. There are a vast variety of different crop circles, some of them are very simple in design, while others are highly intricate. It is commonly thought that groups of people are responsible for creating the Circles, while some believe there to be a somewhat more otherwordly explanation.

Cryptid
Any unknown species of animal or creature that is not formally recognised by science, or included in international zoological catalogues. This can include any unknown species of fish, mammal, reptile or bird. A cryptid's existence is supported usually by witness reports, and inconclusive physical evidence.

Cryptozoologist
A person involved in the study of an unknown species of animal that has yet to be formally recognised by science, but is reported to exist. An individual involved in the field of Cryptozoology.

Cryptozoology
The study and research of new and undiscovered species of animal, that are reported to exist, but have yet to be substantiated. Such creatures range from new species of fish and undersea species, to modern Cryptids such as Bigfoot and the Chupacabra. Cryptozoology involves the study of any unknown species that are yet to be included in International Zoological Catalogues.

Crystal Skulls
A variety of crystal skulls have been discovered in parts of Mexico and Central America, most of them composed of clear rock quartz crystal. They have been found in a variety of sizes, and range in date from thousands of years to more recent contemporary versions. The exact purpose and origin of the skulls has yet to be determined, but it is thought that they would have had some religious significance to the people who created them, mainly because most of them have been found in tombs. At present around 50 such ancient Crystal Skulls have been found, and although a lot about them has been discovered, we have yet to solve the mystery as to exactly why they were created.

Cydonia Region
An area of Mars which generated much interest when it was photographed by NASA's Viking orbiter in 1976. The pictures appeared to show a number of peculiar anomalies, including a number of pyramid shaped objects on the surface and a large structure which resembled a humanoid face. In more recent years, newer NASA Mars orbiters have returned additional photographs of the region showing that the 'face' was nothing more than a natural rock formation, however the original pictures and the area itself are still under some considerable debate.