Welcome to PARANORMAL PHENOMENA RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC.

The term “paranormal phenomena” refers to phenomena that can be shown to exist by accepted orthodox scientific methodology, but for which currently no scientific explanations can be offered.

(1) To investigate the reality of the existence of paranormal phenomena, to try to ascertain the characteristic properties of such phenomena by scientifically acceptable means, and to attempt to find scientific explanations for such phenomena.

(2) To promote research into paranormal phenomena by fostering cooperation between the foundation and interested individuals, or other research institutions dealing with paranormal phenomena.

(3) To render assistance to members of the public with problems arising out of the real or perceived existence of paranormal phenomena.

Investigations into paranormal phenomena are possible only with the cooperation of people possessing paranormal abilities. The investigations of the foundation to date relied on the participation of around 50 such people, most of whom were the residents of Adelaide in South Australia.

The paranormal phenomena dealt with by the foundation fall into three main categories, namely:

(1) Extrasensory Perception, a term referring to the acquisition of information by the human mind without reliance on any of the five senses, or reliance on any other currently available scientifically explainable means.

(2) Psychokinesis, a term signifying the ability of the human mind to exercise direct influence on physical processes, without relying on any currently known scientifically explainable means.

(3) Survival Related Phenomena, which involve scientifically acceptable investigations into a range of phenomena suggestive of the survival of the human mind beyond the death of the human body.

Investigations have also been carried out into the Human Aura that some people claim to be able to see, and Corona Discharge (Kirlian) Photography which some people believe to yield pictures of the aura. Further, since paranormal abilities are often exhibited by people when in Altered States of Consciousness, such states were also investigated, mostly via bioelectric variables, including attempts to enhance paranormal abilities through biofeedback.

The reality of the existence of the first two categories of these phenomena, namely Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis, may be proven by the same statistical methods orthodox science employs in inexact areas, such as Biology, Psychology, and Medicine.

If orthodox science finds some results for which 100% validity cannot be claimed, but the calculated probability for the results having come about by chance is 1%, or less, then orthodox science calls such results “highly significant”, meaning that the results should be recognised as valid, even though there is a 1% probability, or less, for the results having come about by chance, and so be invalid.

An alternative way of stating that the probability is 1%, or less, is by saying that the probability is 1 in 100, or more.

Some of the results obtained by the foundation yielded probability figures of the order of 1 in a million, or more, in Extrasensory Perception; and 1 in a billion, or more, in Psychokinesis. Such results would not be challengeable in orthodox areas of science, but when it comes to paranormal phenomena, the endlessly repeated notion is: “We know that such phenomena cannot exist, and therefore the results must be false.”

At the dawn of the 20th century Guglielmo Marconi endeavoured to transmit radio waves across the Atlantic. Prevailing science of the day claimed this to be impossible, as radio waves were known to travel in straight lines, and so they could not conceivably follow the curvature of the earth’s surface. But then in 1901 Marconi’s radio signals, transmitted from Cornwall in England, were picked up across the Atlantic in Newfoundland. At that time, science knew nothing of an ionosphere surrounding the earth in the upper atmosphere, which was able to reflect radio waves back to earth. It seems that orthodox science has learnt little from the Marconi incident, or from many others like it, and still insists that what is not explainable in terms of currently accepted principles cannot exist.

Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis: Extensive tests for extrasensory perception (telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition) and psychokinesis were carried out mostly by electronic means. During the past 25 years a number of persons were found who were able to produce statistically highly significant results under strictly controlled conditions, in both extrasensory perception and psychokinesis. Also, spontaneous psychokinetic phenomena in the presence of some psychics were observed at times in the laboratory.

Altered States of Consciousness: Persons exhibiting psychic abilities usually do so while in altered states of consciousness, often involving activities by persons who are not consciously aware of being responsible for such activities. The question arose whether bioelectric variables correlated with the alterations in the states of consciousness. Investigated variables included brain waves, muscle tension, heart signal, galvanic skin response, and respiration. It appears from these investigations that alterations in the states of consciousness are primarily mental processes correlating with biological variables to a minor extent only.

Biofeedback: Bioelectric variables monitored while subjects were in altered states of consciousness were fed back to the subjects in the form of light, sound, electric and magnetic fields in the hope of enhancing the altered states, and associated psychic abilities. These attempts yielded minimal results only.

Aura: Following the ideas and suggestions of earlier investigators, it was found that the human aura is not electromagnetic radiation (visible light, ultraviolet or infrared); that psychics do not have extended vision frequency-wise or intensity-wise; and that the aura is not due to detectable particles emitted from the skin absorbing or reflecting light. However, the skin does, in fact, radiate visible light, but such radiation is three orders of magnitude below the threshold of human vision. It seems that the aura is seen the same way as apparitions are seen, the image being created by the mind and brain of the observer in response to extrasensory signals exchanged between the subject and the observer.

Corona Discharge (Kirlian) Photography: It was found that the spectra of corona discharges from inanimate objects and biological sources (including plant leaves and the fingertips of normal and psychic subjects) are the same, and are almost solely due to nitrogen spectral lines, predominantly in the ultra-violet region. Photography greatly distorts these spectra, yielding intriguing, often beautiful, but largely useless pictures. The many bright spots in some pictures are likely to be points of high conductance. Attempts to replicate the phantom leaf effect, that is small cutaway portions of a plant leaf still showing in the corona discharge photograph, were unsuccessful.

Facilities: The foundation possesses electronic test facilities for extrasensory perception and psychokinesis; test facilities for the determination of the intensity and spectral distribution of very low level radiation (visible, ultraviolet, infrared); facilities for the analysis of bioelectric variables, in particular the spectra of brain waves; and also facilities for the detection of physical variables, including electric fields, magnetic fields, and minute changes in temperature.

Needs: The primary needs of the foundation are for psychic persons willing to participate in experiments and undertake tests, in the hope of securing more statistically significant and scientifically defensible results. Cooperation from hypnotherapists for attempts to enhance psychic abilities by hypnosis could be helpful. There is also a need for new equipment, difficult to acquire as the cost for some items runs into tens of thousands of dollars.

Volunteers are invited to participate in tests for extrasensory perception and psychokinetic abilities, or other experiments coming within the areas listed above. All tests and experiments are run free of charge. For further information, or appointment, please ring +61 (08) 83708539, between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. If the call is not answered in the daytime, please ring in the evening.

A detailed account of the investigations carried out by the Paranormal Phenomena Research Foundation Inc., over a period spanning close to 25 years, is described in a book titled "An Excursion into the Paranormal". The book was published in September 2003, by the Paranormal Phenomena Research Foundation Inc., in Adelaide, South Australia. It consists of an introduction, thirteen chapters, and appendices to five chapters, on 285 pages. The work of the foundation was carried out by the book’s author with occasional help from associates. Much of the work was done at the University of Adelaide, where the author lectured in Electrical Engineering for over 30 years, and after the retirement of the author from that university, the work was continued at the Paranormal Phenomena Research Foundation Inc.

Any undisputable results must be quantitative, the deduction of which could be unfamiliar to some readers. The author attempted to maximise the readability of the text partly by keeping the essential mathematics as simple as possible, and partly by devoting Chapters 2, 3, and 6, to providing the necessary scientific background in the simplest possible terms. Hopefully, this will enable most readers to judge the results for themselves, without having to rely on orthodox scientific opinion.

Copies of the book are available from the Paranormal Phenomena Research Foundation Inc., PO Box 84, Upper Sturt, South Australia, 5156. The price of the book in Australian dollars is $25, plus postage ranging up to $10 in Australia, and up to $20 outside Australia, depending on location. E-mail: contact@paranormalphenomena.org

Published by
The Paranormal Phenomena Research Foundation Inc.
PO Box 84, Upper Sturt, 5156, South Australia
2003

Contents:

	Introduction and Acknowledgements	Page 1
	Chapter 1 – The Ancients	Page 3
	Chapter 2 – Fields and Particles	Page 7
	Chapter 3 – Waves - Relativity - Quanta	Page 31
	Chapter 4 – In Pursuit of the Human Aura	Page 59
	Chapter 5 – Corona Discharge Photography	Page 83
	Chapter 6 – The Exact and the Probable	Page 101
	Chapter 7 – The Normal and the Paranormal	Page 117
	Chapter 8 – Extrasensory Perception	Page 121
	Chapter 9 – Psychokinesis	Page 146
	Chapter 10 – Bioelectric Phenomena - Biofeedback	Page 172
	Chapter 11 – Survival Related Phenomena	Page 213
	Chapter 12 – Parallel Universes	Page 225
	Chapter 13 – Epilogue	Page 235
	Appendices to Chapter 2	Page 243
	Appendices to Chapter 3	Page 256
	Appendices to Chapter 6	Page 273
	Appendices to Chapter 9	Page 280
	Appendix to Chapter 13	Page 283

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