Using specialized cameras and Kirlian photography techniques, researchers claim to capture the electromagnetic fields surrounding living beings. But are these images evidence of the human aura or merely electrical artifacts?
Aura photography has its roots in the work of Semyon Kirlian, who in 1939 discovered that placing an object on a photographic plate connected to a high-voltage source produced glowing coronas around the object. This technique, known as Kirlian photography, was later adapted for capturing what proponents claim are visual representations of the human aura. Modern aura cameras, such as the AuraCam 6000, use hand sensors that measure the electrical conductivity of the skin and translate these readings into colorful visual displays overlaid on a Polaroid photograph of the subject. Practitioners interpret the colors as indicators of emotional, physical, and spiritual states. While skeptics argue the images are merely artifacts of moisture and electrical conductivity, believers maintain that consistent patterns emerge that correlate with emotional and physical conditions. Biofield imaging research continues at several universities, exploring whether these electromagnetic emanations could have diagnostic applications in integrative medicine.