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Ectoplasm (paranormal)
Substance in spiritualism / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For other uses, see Ectoplasm (disambiguation).
In spiritualism, ectoplasm, also known as simply ecto, is a substance or spiritual energy "exteriorized" by physical mediums. It was coined in 1894 by psychical researcher Charles Richet.[1] Although the term is widespread in popular culture,[2] there is no scientific evidence that ectoplasm exists[3][4][5][6] and many purported examples were exposed as hoaxes fashioned from cheesecloth, gauze or other natural substances.[7][8]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Helen_Duncan_fake_ectoplasm.jpg/640px-Helen_Duncan_fake_ectoplasm.jpg)
The term comes from the Ancient Greek words ἐκτός ektos, "outside" and πλάσμα plasma, "anything formed".