Are you familiar with the board game called Ouija? Released in the 19^th century, it is still available for purchase and consists of a planchette and a board on which letters, numbers, and the words “yes”, “no”, and “good bye” are printed. This seemingly innocent parlour game invites bored individuals and impressionable children to lightly rest their fingers on the planchette, ask questions to dead spirits and other assorted supernatural entities, and be amazed as the planchette moves along the board, spelling out the answer.

I remember owning the game as a teenager and playing it on separate occasions with my best friend and with my cousin. And it worked. The planchette would move, seemingly of its own accord, and spell out answers to the questions that were asked. It’s funny, though: the trick never worked when I was alone. Of course, I kept asking my co-spiritualist if…