Dictionary of Paranormal Terms - O

Old Yellow Top
Nickname given to a Bigfoot type animal sighted since the 1920's in Ontario, which was said to possess a coat of shaggy yellow hair.

Orb
A small sphere of light, often regarded as an indication of the prescense of a spirit. Orbs commonly appear in pictures taken with a digital camera, but can also be seen with the naked eye. Many Paranormal investigators will try to capture evidence of Orbs at a location so as to indicate that some form of paranormal activity is present. There is still much debate on the subject of Orbs, many believe them to be little more then specks of dust, insects or other mundane objects, in particular those that appear on photographs. Those who believe Orbs have a greater significance however suggest that they are in fact evidence of a Spirit manifestation. Indeed, Orbs seem to be found quite often in locations thought to be haunted, however it is possible to create the effect in a photograph by throwing dust in front of the camera prior to taking the picture.

Ouija Board
A tool used to contact Spirits. A Ouija Board is a board or surface on which is inscribed or printed all the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 1-10, as well the words "yes", "no", and "goodbye". Participants will place their hand on a pointer object, often a glass, and contact from a Spirit is made by the movement of the pointer onto the letters and words printed on the board.