Biochcans{r; Dr Rcbert Freedman Conpule;s Yoysey

Roy Edwards

Tclex: 27253

17 Oclober 1574 Volumo 64

Ionilor

165

Tcclincloyy rcvicw

Encrçy file

198

202

202

253

EEC nolcbook

A grcundling's nclesoo:

205

Tanlelizer

212

Ariadne

222

Comment

163

Uri Geller and Scicnce

A

by Dr Joseph Hanlon

170

Generalisslions Proíessor Guy Ourisson talks to

Dr Miartin Shervood

150

Kow safe are Roríh Sea piatforms ?

192

195

Review

207

Uri Geller" and Science

Institute. And in #his special issue of 'ew Scieniist, Dr Josepl Hanlon reports on both they



New Scientist

Uri Geller was first brought from Israel by a Dr Andrija Puharich-~and has given demonstrations at the Bell Laboratories, other research New Scientist first rzported on Geller two p 560) and more than year (vol 59, p 95) reported on carly results from the Stanford Rescarch Institute (SRI) Geller first came to national attention in Britain on when he appeared vision, where he reproduced 2 drawing sealed envelope, bent a fork, and apparently started 2 dud waich. Two scientists, Professor John Taylor and Dr Lyail on the programme with him. Geller by both Taylor and Watson_and said he anxious to participate in rescarch with British scientists.

For this reason, New Scientist took the unusual step of ber invited Geller to participate in experiments (New would consist of member of the Socicty for Psychical Rcsearch (SPR), rescarch psychologist, the editor and journalist with major newspaper, and a professional magician: Geller . accepted invitation quickly, in a letter on 3 December. Although our initial letter to 'Gcller Physical Laboratory (who was responsible thc ecitor of Dr Joscpl Hanlon David Berglas, and statistician, Professor D. J. Finncy of the of Edinburgh, and forcnsic scicntist, Dr

Geller was a sensation on British television, generzting far morc interest than he had in appearances on national television in the US. And scicnce was an important part of this_if Gcller had simply appeared as was at least possible that he had powers previously unknown to science.

the tin:e 0 Yasha Katz. ia Dccenber and sct up a mceting with Gellcr for And on "Sceing is documentary in when I am doing disbelief will

3u: olv a few days after thcy arrived bacl in Britain; but not attitude clearly changed. Katz said the Ncw Sciea:ist tests would have to be delayed, although he of {25t5 3 Jíay 1974, on of scientists to: the Stanford Research Institute has I have done with them for year. Right now I don't

Through biofeedback, now have control our bodies of so long ago was almost universally asreed ro be to afect our attitudes. And so these areas and 0 thers such as parapsvchologs become less thc province 0f hopeful arzieurs and more the area of trained scientists. At the same tize big tinuing sqceeze on science funding puts the at:ention more on the scientist who can work on a than the one who cannot get to g0 still

In preparation for the New Scientist experiments we Geller phenomenon extensively. Dr Joseph to the SRí researchers and a large number of other people wbo hzd dealt with Geller, in an effort to design effective experizzents. This report is based primarily on his investiwe have not published it until now because team should have a chance first to report on their research in

nisgivings about both the experimental technique and the results, that journal is certain to be criticised by some scientis:s who will argue that publication gives Nature's starp of approval to the results. But publication does not and Nature should indeed be conby tie scientific community.

its investigation and on the only scientific evidence available far, to draw its own conclusions about Uri Geller.

make clear my own attitude and biases. ncxt interesting breakthrough in science may well not from cxpensive tcams and biology, their surroundlings.

two scientists at a tion, SRI, sparked my own interest. was research cn Geller Iore than And I

I began to collect material relevant to experiments with Uri, and in January I went to the US that I would a we talked to bic in of their videotapes, and watched nany tapes of Urïs television appearances. Most of the people taiked to me 25 2 researcher and not a journalist. But what I found greatly proposed New Scientist investigation; I think it important to present this material to put the SRI report in coriext.

Joseph Hcnlon

The Nevv Scientist investigation

tell widely differing stories about the same event. And explanations range from the obvious to the impossible; depending on just what the observers thought saw they

The believers

spoons, cxpensive jcwellery, fascy and piece 01 among thcir owners' most prized possessions_are But their owners point with pride, not anger beczuse were destroycd by Uri

'T2:s world has ever scen. he can brcak spoons by powers without touching them, minds and make objects disappear. The who

of Geìler persoais his and cozs:aat motion. In srall groups, the press {riends. he fits [rom to Erst tirc aiity and

Allen) Dr Andrija

The is dominated by own personality. sincerity and childlike innocencc and desirc to please t; will to do what hc is trying, he does suC cecd. And is consummate becn model and

arc adrnit that goals in lifc are

Puharicb, says Geller has accomplished the task which eluded tne aichemists turned lead to gold-~and that he communicates with flying saucers teleports objects thousands of miles by the power

fame, mone} be can difiicult to Iork with. It is theve Jztter characteristics that caused exast-opaut Dr Mitchell, original fundicg co-experimenter cn Geller Geller Nereztheless, and who have

172



of sealed which, after failed to read them before, were left lying around unguarded. he

Ttis means that people oftec disagree on just wbat they have seen, and no demorstration is totally convincing. The belief of most Geller's supporters is built on series of demonstrations, none of Ibich is watertight, together they find give convincing For most people, there are one or althougb the for one person may be totally unacceptable to another_ long

Palo Geller test at SRI using strip with special coatings gives sigaal in proportion to bendinz vas to bend it without touching it. According to White, suddenly onc of the bar to disappear and eppear on lower Geller had clearly dematerialised part of the bar Dr it Hal of the experimenters, found it not pzrticularly coaviacing 2nd descrihed it on and then returned ncxt. to of bar suddcnlytcst, a piece table, although appeared on the the bar began bar try

poss:ble for piece somconc to have broxcn hetween tests and it ba

was rezeroed in was not good enough to measure the length of the bar And there is no evidence of it actually disappearing and reappearing ~on the film, it is just suddenly there, he said.

Yet Puthoff believes inplicitly in Geller . One of the cvents which vinced him occurred when he was driving motorwày with Geller in the Puthoff said he queried Geller about prove he got and promptly stopped the ing anything.

Reporting what you see

Another problem is that even experienced rcporters tend to misreport just what has happened_ Bryaa Silcock, the science corrcspoadent of the Sunday Times, reported on Sunday 25 Xovember year: "In taxi on the way to London airport yesterday Uri Geller bent vcr} tough key to my o{iice desk without even touching it. Tbe was Iving flat in the palr 22 key

But 2 0n the two most had handled and it was in fact conccaled in Wharton's Jands

carcfully about what Jappened inc

Uri Geller attempts to bend journalist's held by David Dimbleby at a press conlerence a the BBC Lime Grove 22 November 1973, the before Geller's eppearance on the him to the attention of the British public key day

Geller examined the then passed to Wharton who held it between tb palms of bis bands. Geller held h: hands over Wharton's for few sure the 0l to be bent through degrees. Geller might have distracte bent it, and put it into Bryan Wbarton hands already bent: key

Journalists are not aloae in bavin this problem-~trained scientists do well, Geller and Pubarich gave stration at Bell Laboratories, NewJerse: one of the world's top research centre 8 June, 1973. Geller did one of h: favourite tests: reproducing drawin an envelope the envelope is sealed and that he never report, by Charles Davidson, s2ys to report Geller's tion of tbe drawing But the man wh actually brougbt the envelopes, Richard Moore, told were put into clasp envelopes shich were not seale Further, the drawir 2i 2: request the next ofice. Thu Geller could have uscd any of scver; magicians

iooking

at

thc

thc

was possibl'

of Mixc Douslas show on the netIork in te on 29 October last vear, participants and probably Fiewers werc convinccd thcy Gcller bend nail on 1 [ There Jere scveral nails ca tas'e in front of Geller. IIe pickcd Dovglas, examined it and that it was, indecd, Yext, Geller picked up another nil witb his lclt hand and held it by the the back froin Douglas and beld it, as Then to Geller rubbed the nails. Finally take the nail from his right band-the one to be on close up~and put it the bottom of left nzil, Geller continued to stroke, cever showing the bottom. Slowly to cxpose to the tip. Despite all of Ge sbow of checking to see that the and aever the tip of the nail Geller said it was bent. Thus, we no evidencc that the nail was not already bent, perhaps before the show began, b} non-paranormal means. nail

Magic sour grapes ?

confusion of servers Many magicians argue tbat it is quite intentional, and is Magician James Randi, persistent Geller critic;, said he talked to s:agehands after the Mike Douglas show told him that Geller speci fed that they should buy box tcn to some in bundle with tape an bour before the show. Geller walks 2ouad the Siudio a lot before the show, for Geller to take bis own pre-bent tenout of his pocket and put it into the bunde no one would they

But magic community, with few exceptions, is strongly opposed to Geller, rguing that be is magician too, but is more money by claiming to be sorething more Professional magicizns have vested intcrest, however, and ba;c carned considerable publicity aad money in their attemnpts to demonstrate-~apparently highly succeSSfully some casesthat can do the magicians that Geller bas failed to perform numbers of nagicians arc se: refused in any scientisic expcrisicat (such Scicntist's) that involves magician. they New

cxplanation in

One example is case of Geller New York to Israel sshich citcd by Geller suppcsters: to tion becane obvious. "I kad abcut kg of equipment that I to Israel so Ileft all of thc excess bazz2ge bchind. And one of the things I cida't bring 'as my camera case for 8 camnera which I docunent lot of my work. One Uri and at the Dead Sea aad that one of was locked in special closet house for fire hours later he called me up~we'd come back to Tel Aviv and he'd gone bis apartmenit and Id gone to mj And he said You Isere on wy I said 'Look inside, 'cause Ive ripped out of the inside' and sure enougb it case. Puharich then ssent to Geller's epartment and identifed the case as his. "To by teleportation 6000 A sceptic camera shop, boazat a case, and then marked it accordiag to day know

Another similar newspaper took Geller to cable which up the Chiengau moun and 2sked him to stop the car. "At noon uD[Geller} boarced canny one car gondola for the ûrst time in life, 'Idon' think it can be cone" The gondola suspended iu air. Uri Geller noticed control panel on the door whicb governed the steering mechanism. Sudaenly, be cried cat, 'I think can Tcen Geller bounded aroupd the car tricks, and periodically changed the direction of the cable car tains, doin;

Bending keys by hand ?

bave seea end accepted normal rather than para: normal produces the programme for WNEWTV one incident Geller Geller asked for key , McAlister gave him one. "We in an 2lcuve outside the control and Geller said 'Let's gct out of He beld sce it. 25 door in froat 0 right by ard the oucr hand came to 25 he through tbe door. He inmediately said Do you to

arcue that he is coutrol of his powers, and thus on command or precisely hc wants. to his if he nagician, they say, he would always succeed on cuc.

Further, argue that if one belicves that can do such things, then the of other min s magicians and others sho are workiag for him to perform simply by blocking him. that the negative thought energies of severe sceptics and critics do intcrfere with the proccss are trying to ncasure and thus such people bc the room during scientific tests. thev

Why assume the paranormal ?

One of the early choices someone Geller must make is to assume thesis. Geller is extremely personable cannot help liking him. And when forms, he really nakes you want to believe in hin. Combined with the rampant confusion that surrounds the Geller tornado wherever he works (which no one ever sees an entire event) it is extremely easy to rcalising it into the acceptance of paranormal explanations. One of surprises was how easily some trained scientists drawn into and tben how each event adds to what becomes a strong belief in Geller per-

But scientists should be guided, at least in formal experiments, by Occam's Razor: that one should not assume nore complex hjpothesis until it is absolutely necessary, simpler explana:

With Geller, this means that scientists first convince themselves that events cannot be explained by combination of magic and psychology before they postulate This need not imply fraud_people communicate far more than they realise by subtle looks, gestures, tone of voice, and on. In the case of recent reports spoons, may cxert more pressure than they realise while stroking the object. they

I investigated Jarge nunber of Geller events Occan in I found it extremely dSicult to back and find out just what happened in Gcller cvent, because of thc previously ncntioned problem of gctting accurate of the m2ny ci tilem In surprising number, the exwas actually plausible than the paranormal, and the paranormal was acccpted only the was cornmittcd to

as Gcller himself said on Live (WNEW-TV, New York, 3 1974), "everything could May,

that did it thc cvcnt did not cren rcalise that the only showing

wcnt

into

room

of people, kcv ia Mcalister be actually bent it

Telcvision Producer Terry Dixon told me about filning Gcller in York in Dccember 1975. Dixon said that cach inemnber of thc crcw did and that the drawings sealed, in envelope, then one, in San Francisco two before cres arrived in to talk to Geller. Each ber had also _ signed the envclope. In Gs'cr's Ozt, Uri was the dozen sealed envelopes and he oae time, according to Dixon. At cameraran Mike Fash, aad assistant Pcter George, however, noted that Fash's envelope bad fallen 01 the floor and said, inGeller do that Eventually, Geller said that he neeced rest, and Dixon suggested move to one of the hotel Geìlec agreed and suggested they take caly three envelopes, which he picked (drawings by Fash, George, and Geller suggested that they be was no Sellotape inmediately available; the enrelopes to one of Geller's assistants, Melanie Toyofuku; who had them of sight of the Thames crew for nore than to Dixon. She had more than enough time to use any of the magician's tricks to see inside (rubbing alcohol on the to make them holding them up to just corner small light cen be put inside, or even opening and resealing At tae combination of Dixon's drawing (a three-dimensional box) and Fash's they ing

Tightening the conditions

all of these examples: Geller did not do his feat the sinple, immediate way in which it is usually rcported. Instead, he succeeded only after unconscious help from participant after taking an extra step could be used by magiciaa in similar In other words, for whatever reason Geller worked in such a way as to make the normal explanation seem more Lkely than the paranormal. Uri's supporters, of course, will say that these are accidents or coincidences, and tbat he does not use thc opportunities ofcr for tricks. To test this theory in ie does they

One of Geller's standard fcats is to have an object put into of ten cans, Geller then sclects cight cmpty one at time, and the



object. On the Griflin show on US TV, Gcller did the trick successfully, but some people Geller shake and he could tcll which was heaviest. on 1 August, 1973, thcrefore special prccautions werc taken and Geller was to get near enough to the table to jar it touch the

On the New York show, they went step furtber and used hcavy Glm cans that could not be jarred. But Geller went further as well. Magician Felix Greenûeld rcported that one of the staff rang him shortly before the show was to go on at 7 am to say that when she arrived at 5.50 am Geller already there, and insisted that he watch while she put the objects in the and wrapped tape around field told her that Geller would probably remember how the target can be taped and suggested she retape then She did and Geller failed.

The Thames TV Crew found tbat Geller could do the flm can trick for them when was present who knew which can contained object, but not otherwisc, wbich suggested to them tbat Geller looked for their reactions.

Bob McAlister of WNEW told of some of the special precautions he took for another Geller event. "Geller said he wanted to try thing big like stopping an escalator, and he suggested Bloomingdales [department But our news department suggested Gimbles because had worked with the public seemed quite upset and disappeared, saying 'Ive got to make 'phone call' . When I got I talked to a guard Iho told me thhat you can throw a switch any lloor to stop escalator. On my advice stationed at the switch at each escalator Geller did not stop the they they

Did {hey see Geller cheat ?

At Jeast five peoplc cleim to have seen Geller actually cheat. This is diliicult area, because if we cannot trust the reports of observers wh1o say Geller daes miracles, wh" give noc ciicalcd? At Icast scem to have supporting evidcnce.

Perhaps the strongest casc is that of Thanes sound rccorder who said on tclevision on 15 January

Whcn 011 (Mid-Day Live, 3 May, 1974) about Randi's statc'ncnt, Geller replicd sinply " ar sure

spoon the

Film magazines contain ten minutcs of film, but standard sound tape runs 20 ninutcs. Thus it is Iormal practicc lcavc the souud tape running while the film magazincs arc rcloaded. According to McCrae, while tlc were to divert evcryonc clsc's attcation by refcrring them back to fork hc had alrcady broken. But McCrae did not turn to the broken fork, and hc actually saw Geller bend_by hand not powers~the large spoon. Geller attention to the bent spoon

Support for McCrae's story comes from producer Dixon, who noted strong believer in beforc this incident was convinced that Geller was genuine. Dixon also noted that Uri and his associatcs were "obsessively interested in the equipment, particularly long it took to reload one Terry

Hynan, psychologs professor at thc Uaiversity of Oregon, called in to see Geller at SRI by agency Russell Targ and Dr Hal Puthof had applied for funding. One of at SRI in December 1972 to have someone else in the room write down a number on the pad and then he Geller As he 'rote, Uri made show of covering with bis From my side, I could see his through his bands. Also, I could casily from George's ar;n notions, that he had written the 10. Ray

Hyman also told story, confrmed to me by one of the others present (who requested not to Geller prcdiction. At 4 pm Geller decided be was 'burned out" home. About a half hour later he suddenly reappeared, warning one of those present not to fly back to Washington, DC as planncd_ He said during lunch he had had premonition about plane crashing. But to call newspaper; and found that there had indeed already plane crash in Washington around lunch timne_ and the report would have on the news stands and radio during the half hour Uri was away. been been

saw Geller cheat when he 'performed at the New York offices of Time magazinc in March 1973. Tnese weakest cases because Timné is strongly opposed to Cherles picture editor of Popular Phctography, and megician James both say saw Geller bend in after having attemptcd to divert everyone's attention by asking for a bcer can And Rit? Quirn. [o believe in Geller , hin pcek between Baps in picturc drawing test. they key

17 October 1974

onto film cven camera has lenscap tapcd on. Such picturcs have appeared in News of Geller also projectcd his image through the lcascp of Yale Jocl, the cx-Lifc photographer who took our picturc. thc (June 1974) was able to suggcst distinctly non-paranormal cxplanation.

(Figure 1) the taped lenscap" of Pcntax cquipped with a 17 mm Thc photo in Nes York apartment Joel Geller Jad thc for several minutes while he (Joel) was out of the room, and so Uri might have been able to untape the lenscap.



Ficure Pnoto Uri took of himself "through taped-on {enscep" of Yale Joel's Pentax



Figure 3 it was taken by holding the Ienscap just a bi: aw2y {rom the camera

But it was the sharp that lead Joel and Popular Photography to thcir Yale Joel able to producc of his Seth (Figure 2) that looks remarkably like of that person it help

Geller apparently knows Jot about camcras, but did hc outsmart himself on this one? Fopular Pholography suggcsts that hc Figurc is picturc Sath taken the wiih o No way, only fingcrs. no

176

the Geller phenomenon second-hand is all well but siroagest impressions ncccssarily contact with Uri. 1 scen Uri work twice, oncc as part of traasatlantic experirnent coaducted Sunday Mirror (10 1973) and tac other in thc Montcala Hotel Lordon (19 June,

"can you us what the thrce just in casc onc of matches?" Gcller dcclined ard morc long silcnces could not do it. But Ellison said: "Would you like to tell any 'thing your mind sere all trating on the picture?"

with, at the rcar, that comes an then gocs along toward the front and becomcs sort of brcast" Ellison laughed and negative rcsponsc. Gcllcr then announccd that hc Was finished, and thc ploto

York, coanected to the ofiice in London b; traasatlantic tclephone. In the sscrc Cliliord Davis, thc test; Pzofessor Arthur Ellison of City and of the tisc of the Society for Psycbical Research; Dr Christopher Bedford, Mirror science editor; Patricia OFlanagan from New Scientist; the Thames TV crew; and about dozen spectators. Yasha Katz of Gellers staff, Sidney Young, from the sere with Geller in The attempt lasted nearly and covered variety of tests. on the New York ecd of the telephone and later told New Scentist (during one of his ings to experiments) that Geller's biggest was seeing photogrzph car. and

Then Young "a fat sausage

Ellison said it was police car, and Geller claimed to have down the Iord "car" tl.ough he had not ncntioned it bcfore with the list of words in his mind_ Later, to have written down the word "car" twice_

To me, this was hardly succcss Guided by Ellison, hc drew shapc that could havc been an animal, car, table, hill , alnost anything. Later in the ncarly two-hour_ telephone call, however, madc remarks like "I happy I got the drawing

Whcn I asked him afterwards, Ellison answered immediately that indeed, gotten car. He called the that Geller "didn't say a cup Or trec or a human being' Actually, of ccurse, Geller did mention people and could been cup~it Young who said it might be pig or car. But most irnportant, Ellison seems to have been totally oblivious to the of

Although this drew no encouragement from Ellison, he continued to press the asking if there photo of dog somewhere in tbe room There wasn't. Only the "something long" had drawn positive response from Ellison.

Gcller rcplied he had drawn thrce scts tbings. First, "thrce pcople appearcd in my mind sith whitc underncath' thing long' Ellison im mediatcly rcplied "that sounds likely, it could be described as somethiag long' Then Geller said it was like an ânimal horse standing sideways_ With further cncouragenent 2t this on to the third drawing ~which described as something semi-circle coming out of the lcft a mountain, sort of, with something coming out'. Finally, he horse, dog he

Next Geller said that of the three impressions the "biggest one" was the



In fact, was not so clear cat. At Patricia O'Flanagan bad provided set scaled cnvclopes simple photographs which no one but she had Whcn Uri was alrcady tbe shc gavc mc I selccted onc, tumncd to contain a photo of 'phone 2ad concentrafcd thc photo, to transnit it to Gellcr. Wc could all sce and hear Ellison and Gcller .

second_an "objcct that was wide, long, and in colour good; rcplicd Ellison. Geller tben went through another scries of words~table, flower, no support from "Very

Then, 28 minutcs into the test, Geller began drawing and Sidnev Young camc Or phonc Young said, shich favourable from Ellison. 'Thcn Young said it looked "Jikc wooden thc sort of thing you Ect fron Czechoslovakia whcrc it is just of car or a pig_not "heels, not sort of

Photo which Uri Geller attempted to see in the Mirror transa:lantic telepathy test, 10 December 1973

belp he gave Geller during the entire He permittcd Geller to offer him three one, then guided Geller to something tbat acccpted Geller's that it was, indeed, correct. This is exanple of how Gellcr is able to draw people cren an cvent tbat did not and good

Nothing appearcd in the Sunday Mirror about which surpriscd as Geller was hot timc Only latcr I find that Geller had

tcst

The photo transnission experiment 35 minutes-tic first half Icing followed by en-

Uri bends ny key_and rips his trousers

watch 19 cditor Dr Bernard Dixon aud Uri in Londoa, for an hour.

in sccluced corncr of thc Jong tinc Then Cri oScred of bis skills {cr to reproducc pictures Dixon and drcw but eventually ts screen") cach time. Next bending I try

Dixon commented afterwards that he Geller s:resscd bis failures_constsntly saying did not thiak hc could do it and about bis failures on more successes. The cf course is to make everyone erovad Geller anxious that succeed

Geller suEsested we move to the next enpty dining with chairs ezr tue door. He contiaued to attempt to bend my key. Noting that it ss2s easier to bend 23 object when it otber retal, against an upended ashtrey other metal cbjects. Even with just the three of of at Doint I sent for Hotel staf who passed-who by now used to the erenis added But still nothing unusual key pad.

Uri suggested into corner sit doun sofa behind low ccfee table. Bernard Dixon scat to Geller's jacket. Geller sat first end around the table and sas just sitting Bernard was across with Geller's jacket. Thus neither of was lurched formsard spreading his so that he split bis His bands were doun in front of legs

But anyonc, including mc, can bend key the edge of Sitting in chair with your legs slightiy sprcad, reach down to the bottom of the seat and you will fecl part of the Holding the head of the in tcp of the frame and press You will be surprised bow key berds. With practicc can do this witl novement in which ycu the forward. towards key downpull

Aftcr jokiag about tbe ripped trousers, be beld kev from the point end it his hand, and eforts to make it bend. Geller s Jowcould see {e sa5 slishtly bent Svdceziy he said it was bending, and raoved his down to the bend_ The bend sas not he put the key on the cofiee to sbov; bend_carefully holdisg it in V position s0 that both ends Kerc the it to this it table; ia 2 entirc {lat side 50 that other cnd Yas thc table tban it hed As could sec, tlc was bent whcn key

that Saw Uri

177



But I can offer an explanation that I more plausible than previously nental forces. First, it should bc noted that keys are surprisingly casy to bend, particularly for person Jike Geller with strong Few of ever try however, and assume it is it,

To me, tbe most plausible hypotlesis is that knowing neither Bcrnard were concentraling Uri put thc key on the rail at froni of the scfa hands sere in Because the table too close to sprcad his trouscrs.



Faces and flowers

After the bend, Uri tried telcpathy. After couple of ful aitcmp:s~as beforc he passed, showicg despite attempts did one drawing I drew simple fower (1), Uri two attempts hc rejected, and then drawn face (4) . It. is, às noted, not too far of because it does have basic circle with out from it. The final dranizg (5) is hc drew circle with bumps and then guessed at the eyes and then the rest of the face 2gain key

Uri's relative Jack of success, bis explanation of how he did the daning and some observations by Berpard Dixon aowed us to piecc aftcrwards non-paranormal hypothesis for this as well First, uoted in the early which Uri passed, and were drawing rclatively as complex fork 22 integral sign. But by the time Geiler



Piclurc draving Icst at Montcalm Holel, London, 19 Junc 1574

an

him

Morc important, Beraard's observation that alter cach drawing carefully hide the drawing but thcn Gcller ask in our mind fouad I was making slight hcad moveren{s, tracing the shape of the [ tried not but found it if rcally concentrating hard and tracing thc shape as Uri I noted the same clect. to,

and objects quickly-thus the simple i:ower.

at my drawing and Geller's and explanations, it that Bernard's hypothesis holds up The head notions for a would be large circle several short back and forth motions (petals) and one long curving up and down motion (the This is precisely what Uri drew in his first two attempts (2 and 3) cxhibiting the fact that it is to tell from motions precisely on the circle the other lines shouìd g0. Dropping the up end motion, and putting the short motions all on the top, seems to suggest ong

experiment'

is uader my conditions Only con:rolled scientific tcsts will tcll whethcr Geller actually has paranormal stage

can usc our cxpcricrce Gcller thc pcrformer to help develop and evaluate tests with Gcller thc perimental subject. And il thcrc is any Icsson to be Icarned, it is that Occam's Razor must be our guide-we mus: consider the

In some cascs, normal explanations not mean that Ge'lcr is cheating It' is possible, at lcast, for to rcproducc drewings wa tching nodding hcad how it is happening But must also acccpt the fact~made all thc nore ditûcult by Geller's likcability_thst for bending icply And on the of Uri's performances, this possibility must be seriously considered

So far, there is only one published result of scicntiâc tests with In the next section, have tricd to look at these in thc light of have found out about Geller as performer.

bunps and guessed at thc facc Because of thc hastc with which drcw the picturc, could be that Jc

of Gcllcr has bcen surpr 'ising to invcstigatc in detail had normal planation that ssas morc probable than the paranormal one; and sccond the disbelief acccpt Geller_ point, [ admit that too, was strongly taken that I 'could not help lilving him being swept up by his enthusiasm_despite the fact that I ssas tricks. and

Mlany people believe implicitly in based on very few demonstrations of his powers, swept on bv their desire to belicve and by the forcc of Geller's personality. Indeed, some supposedly objective scientists now talk of the

But "a stage

only two sets of tests it considers successful_one of telepathy end the other of clairvoyance. Although the authors state that Geller bent many pieces of metal, he never did s0 under experimental occurred in the lab, too. Nor does the paper note that by using an ingenious device invented by his mentor Dr Andrija Puharich, Geller could have done both successful tests by non-paranormal means

The investigators

Research Institute, in Menlo Park, California, is the site of the only at controlled scientific tests of Geller. SRI was originally estab Lished by Stanford University to do After student protests in the 19605, it was nominally split off fror funcing decreased and SRI has done iacrcasing amounts of commercial tract research_ has

Geller study has been done by Dr Hal Puthofî and Russell Both are laser physicists with continuing in psychic phenomena wlo joined SRI primarily to do psychic re search (although when funding is short do rclurn to laser work) Puthoff old aad 1971 c E{cctronics & 1969) , holds {or lascr and optical devices. Targ. Sons,

is 40 years old and joincd SRI in 1972 after tcn years at Sylvania, where on aud inven{cd



has been president of Parapsycholozy Rescarch Group Palo Álto and invcnted an "ESP Tcaching Hachine" In papcr to the IEEE of and Elcctronic International Symposiur on he

bc possiblc to tcach and ESP phcnoncna Review, July-August 1972, p 9) :

Targ have in scvcral subjecis in to Geller.

rcport that

from NASA Acronautics and Adapparenll relaling to ESP tezching But remzin chroaically short of Funding for tlc Geller has conc from wcalthy individuals from Judith Skutch, wcalExastronaut Mi{clcll coaduccd unauthorised ment in space in Fcbruary 1971 two sct up his Institutc of Noctic Sciences Palo Alto to encourage and

Geler has beer to SRI sereral times orer 2n pcriod beginning 1972 and anothcr of Kcnt Stz:c assisted in series of tesls. The clairvoyance with die reported in the p fromn this sct of for 45p frcm Loncc?

The paper

The SRI paper on three tests Gcller, as Iell as several tests oiher subjects. In the tirst in tergc: pictures "At the besinning of either Geller entered shieìded room from ihat time Geller calls, end shielded from Persozzel material at the targct locaäc1 Geller's isolation the experirzenters chosen procedure cesisned to eliminate to eliminate the of pre-experiment target as kept ignorant to the selecting thc and 2s to the nethod of target

Altozether. 15 trials conducted (see For trial werc changed_often severa at the it is to failures "ith

I2 caes (14) the targets were b" putting an index card into t0 pick then openon thc Three (8-16) chosen from were to Gelicr's to drawn on

(5, ]2,

Geller picture drawing test at SRI



S1: double walled stecl room

S2: double welled copper screen Faraday cage

A:

C: room just outside S1

Outcomes:

drawing. Other evaluations are the author (JH) based published with the the seem to be based on verbal description of rzther than cither the target word by

of word phrase wbich would (word: describe the entirc target picture. Trial 2 is bunch of 24 Erapes grapes) and the Geller drawing preciscly fits that description. Trial 4 inciuces sun, saturn, other circles, and the words "solar Geller has drawn, in totally diffcrent arrangement; the sun, saturn, several circles, and what appear to be satellites. Both could be described as "solar system Or sun and planets' Trial 8 is drawing which could be either horse camcl drawn largc fying bird and snal} bird on the ground has and small bird. The birds do not resemble each other, but both crawings are described under it" is kite, which Geiler ras drawn. The two are about as dissimiler 10 line drawings of kite could be.

of some of the words which would describe Fair: pictorial arrow through a heart_ Geler tbe target picture_ the Geller's draning zre arrow inside a box. Again, target dissimilar, despite same word "arrow" and

Poor: pictorial reprcsentation of few words which might used to describe thc target picture. In triel 1, the dictionary ard the drawing sinplc ûirecracker wéth lit fuse. Geller's response to be to thc word "noisemakcr" and includes words

no one therc to vicw it 5~target

• to mukc EEG record of because "hc

0n front of calhode ray lubc display screen

memory no piclure

"It been widely that Gcller has demonstratcd to bend metal by paranormal means. been observcd in not been able to combine such experiments to obtain data suflicient to support the paranornal thesis; Targ and the published this in Yature.

In o2e test saw the vidcotape of, Uri was asked to bend checked netal bar. Ie was unsuccessful, and asked for something else. The SBI team provided special checked spoon. Next he asked for morc metal round hin for inspiration, that as supplied. Finally he gave up, but the spoon was set up for the next and all the other just dumped the corner of the room. day bar,

Indeed, the SRI spent most of its time metal bending_by far most spectacular Gcller ception tests finally published.

The next day, he started on the spoon. and agein asked for more The original bar was among

and the picture was not actually being vicwed by anjone at the time of the test.

In ten cases where Uri did drawing, it had sone connection to the target in some cases Uri's picture bunch of 24 grapes, Uri also drew bunch of 24

Perhaps the most striking factor which runs all 10 pictures however, is that Uri seems to the target word nor the target drawing He appeers to base his drawing OR the words which would be used to describe the {arget drawing.

Clairvoyance

other two tests reported in the SRI paper are of clairvoyance_sceing something in closed container which no can by normal means: Geller succeeded once once In the second test reported ir the paper, also conducted in August 1973, an SRI artist 100 target pictures of everyday objects and other sealed then with black in envelopes and then sealed envelopes in other envclopes. rarely czme close to the target picture 'Ihe this cxperiment no: dcpart signifcaatly fromn would bc cxpected by chancc' Fivc only

quickly back to that. But as only the set up chccked therc sas no to scc that Uri or or any of the otl:er mctal_out of the roon overnight, bent it, and brought it back in the morning and



Later Uri moved on to still selected pair of tweezers no one had attention to because of the concentration the spoon and bar. Finally, broke the tweezers, but even Targ considered it all suspicious that it was not included in the of sleight of hand-in this and all other tests with too great even for SRI paid

Geller also tries to convincc peopie that things happened cifîerently than did. In one tape I he tried to say he had not "passed" be had, in fact, done In anothcr, he said that something bent it really wasn't. Also, constzatly needs reinforcement frequectly thus putthe experimenters in position of repeatedly telling him that hc really seives in the process. they

November or December 1972, Uri was placed in a steel file card box (3 in 4 in X 5 in) The was and on and Uri drew picture of the uppermost dice face. Then the box opened. The experiment was performed 10 times, with correct eight times and passing twice. Unlike thc tclepathy test, the ccaditions were not varied_the dice and the box remained the same_ put

In these experiments, they write, "we concentrated on what sidered to be our primarv respon-sibility_to resolve under conditions as unambiguous as possible the basic issue of whether perception phenomena exists. Tiey continue that at all times we too; neasures to prevent sensory leakage and to prevent deception:

Targ and Puthoff conclude: A channel exists whereby information about re mote location can be obtained by of an as yet unidentified perceptual modality:'

But were Targ and Puthoff vigilant enough, and have they reallv shown unambiguously that paranormal perception exists?

A scicntific paper can ncver capture thc fceling an cxpcrinent. In this casc, the totally fails to circus dry

dcgrec of cbaos wherc hc fcels comforlable and fecl Then

SHI has filmed or videotaped many constantly bounces up and touching cvcrytling in sight and running his test, he frcquently jumps up about the room, stopping the tcst dead Just a dilferent onc he abandoned carlier. asks for cbjects, often from outside the test roon, to prcss clippings from past triumpls , pieces of mnetal, coins, ctc. And Ie will discuss at length wbat objccts to choosc and where to them. Hc technicians otber observers into b" asking them or to gct other objects, or to pick a number dowin. put

Mitchell commented [Puthoff] and Russ [Targ] were eager to keep Geller around that thcy worked themselves into box by meeting his every whin. If he thrcatened to walk off would relent and do what wanted. Of of and worse. Mitchell-~a belicver_ in Geller's abilities who was prescnt for many of the tests~admitted that during should hâve that he curb his impulsiveness, that he should not touch keep his hands properly in of tbe camera at all times, and that cut down his chatter to work. It becomes distracting and he uses it, not consciously to distract, but to create climate of too noise and muss and bustle they

Therc arc also periods when he does nothing but stand and concentrate A single test can take several hours of alternating excitement and borcaom. The vigilance of the experinenters is sure to during that time. long flag

Assume he will cheat

The experimenters are conscious of tbc possibility of feel confident that Geller will chczt if given Targ told mc whethcr thcir vigilance azainst rigorous encugl is opcn to dispute.

thc tso

If Gcller is chcatiag I:e using sophisticated and logical trickery. SII in

Ia third trst in paper conducicd

SRI an with projcct; done tricks 2cd for But just sec dctail_ clcar much hc could it is not Targ is also somctircs prisingiy trusting: in onc instance during cxperiment asked Geller black mark his skin said it scar; Targ ccep:cd although he could not ibly known if Geller thc truth 2nd Targ pzid poss

outsidc ohserver sho is highly criiical of thc applicd by Targ and Pvthoff fron mcst fuading arg and Put2pplied for and be sent to SRI to eraluate the work. Thus, the SRI to put on the best possible A reliable source reports this official is quite interested in

More than year ago SRI produced film of Uri Geller's first set of tests there (in Norember and December 1972). Altbough more like a fornal pzper, it scme insight into thc researchers. filn is entitled 'Experiments Uri Geller" and be rented "universities 2rd scientifc research organisations" {zom Mitchels Institute of Sciences_ Palo The narrator is Bonnar Cox, executive director of the SRI Inand Engincering Division.

The tests that the SRI team then considered acceptable (but one of the was consdered acceptable the time the pzper was submitted is experiment using picture Fifteen simple drawings sere and sealed in envelopes themselves sealed in other cnrelopes were locked in safe and out at random for each test. researcher then would open evelope outside the look picture, reseal thc envelcpe and enter the experimental Gellcr it. Each drzwing closer {0 cescriptioa of the tergct than to thc target

a clairvoyance test in which Gellcr the onc can out Thc film Using box

psschic phenonena, is anxious to bcto his walched thc SRI chosc to show Jim. But hc concluded that thc "controls arc sloppy and inadequalc" Ilc rcmarked shen sug controls, "Targ said tighler

dillicullics of One of the potential invcstigation is thc scnsitivity of wholc phcnomcnon, subjccts t0 perform urder many scemingly reasonable, controllcd conditions. I acccpts the of parapsychological abilitics, this is not surprising Onc would, bc dcaling it would be not unreasonable to find violinist, for example, playing bcfore group of pcople to be hostile crilics_ Also, because arc dcaling with "nental energies" it is not unreason'good"

to Jold three of large enough four such cans, they are placed the middlc two positions Icft In each case, to as "randomiser" enters the arranges the cans, and leaves beforc Gellcr enters. Geller instructs the experimenters to remnove empty cans one at fully finds containing room temperature water and onc containing steel

in There are also two experiments ps)chokinesis_ (PK) In onc, gramme weight is placed on an elec trical balance and covered by an aluminium film can, and then thc glass cylínapparatus covercd by der. A with two to the film, apparently due to Gcller's eflorts. They are single-sidcd signals, corresponding to 1500 mg oae other wcight decrease, the Fonding to an mg weizht incrcase. We have no ready hypothesis how these signals might have been produced" .

In similar test, dice is placed in metal box and sbaken. Geller then guesses that the top face is four, which is correct.

Next, Geller is shovn actually "influencing' nla gnctometer. Moving his hands around scale cí

Finally, shows two unsatisfactory cvents. First, Gcllcr is shoun defccling compass needlc. Ncxt, bending is apparcntly stainless spoon but this is also slecl

in spoon.

ablc supposc con firmed critic could usc his psychological powers to block thosc of scnsitivc

phenorcnon will rcquirc Tlus, thc diflcrent proccdures forns of rescarch. Sonc concessions will havc 10 bc nadc to kecp thc subject happy and comfortable, 'for The rcal question Has SRI Conc

Screening participants

Typical of rescarcl is that all thosc who aid arc, Icast, pre-selccled at to Gcller. "We reachcd the particular if onc o{ that sceptical inrestigâtors bctter but foul rooc was we just banned And could get results roomilc when there according Mitchcll. He couldn't, point dav ,

Also shown arc bent rings "measured to rcquire 150 pounds which "were at the timc in and they

benost striking aspect of the filn is ofF camera_ Thc frst drawdoes on the flm is ing that of the "the most cff-targct film did" Altlough the fully eight times, in Geller in the is though finally "passed" that is, cven he guessed the number he that it be taken into account becausc confident. In the test he not weight, Geller with thc one grammc deiecting tbe is never actually shown is Geller scale~all the film shows working unsuccessfully wit the balance, and then trace of another unfilmed) successful tcst. (apparently bending, there is During the spoon the break in thc film and then spoon leaves havc a brcak to Gellcr virtually continuously, seemed this filn havc to contain what the weakest examples of ezch test? asked

But it may I makc the filn most suspcct. o1 jus: soncthing. Thcrcforc, the asscrtion that "thesc rings Gcller's hand at thc timc bent docuseemns more likcl" mentation ihan they

182

proccss Icss charitable tbat Geller willing to pcrform beforc watcbful than

Another cxample of this sort of up in discussion of ex periments 'ith Pat Price, also published in the SRI paper. In thc test, one of the investigators went to randomly selected place in thc Palo Altc toll booth, a drivc-in movie, marina, etc. Thirty minutcs after started, Price dictatc into a tape recorder description where he of the nine descriptions given to asked to correlate them with personal knowledge of the nide lccations no knowledge of were of which trips. There is with judges picking 6 and 7 of Price's descriptions 3s correct, while otaers picked only Ihen asked about the diversity, Targ said that it simply showed tbat had to be careful in picking judges because judges were not good at correlations! they doing

Good observers ?

By {ar the nost important component of the validity of the SRI paper is the investigators' abilities as observers _ iacidents suggest that although Targ Puthoff may be competent laser physicists, tEey are less successful in this rad:cally d:fferent area. In particular, their desire to believe their may cloud discrimination.

Dr Arthur Hebard, who designed the equipment, and who suggcsted that bring Swann there, tells He dismisses thc description of thc inside of detector by that Swaan was "talking in such poeiic terms that he been the sort tiing an} Jaymau use to describe any picce of

Perhaps the most telling event is Hal experimental subject not described in the Mature the quark detector at Stanford University in 1973. Tbe quark detector is highly sensitive magnetometer which works by looking of a magnetic field. This is shown on chart recorder by periodic function. Puthoff and Swann iadependently told mc rougbly simi:ar stories: Puthof took Swann t0 the quark detecto:, where Swann described in sone detail the inside of the detector of shich he could Then, without going cear of the equipment_ for short times he both increascd and decreased tbe period of the signal. Ingo any

On the perturbation of the dctector outzut, made interesting First, just that sort of share

The targets were by an arlist at the request of third SRI rescarcher Iho worked with Targ and Puthof for As Targ

sirnply by with the dials the rccorder. Icbard is convinccd, Jowwithout touching the rccordcr. But oftcn happens, his version of tells morc than he rcaliscs. said that therc pcoplc in room and stood talking for about 40 minutes. Swann, he said, stood closc to the chast rccorder looking at it iatcntly for 20 mniautes beforc thing Hcbard is arySwann sure that not touch tlc recorder, but in crowded roon talking, who can conccntrate on object for 20 minutes and be surc it is not touched? IIcbard also added point Swann nor men-tioned_ticy came back the next with fewer people around and Swann failed to Hc day

the papcr does not curious incident which rcport end at the tcst. After dccided to loosen abandoned, it and try again with precausions time the drawings that it possible to remnove anyone noticing, and Gcller milted to thrce tines. This time, Geller trouble with the had no succceded iu test, and the pic turcs. Commented the third researcher: "Im convinced he chea{cd:" If he could do this under loose conditions but not under tight conditions; is this not sorth mention in thc paper?

One also has tbe comment of Hyman _the Oregon University chology magician, and firmed sceptic about psychic phenomena. Hyman observed day of SRI tests cn Geller in November 1972 and concluded that "they don't know to observe_ Targ and Puthofi recounted incidents Ie just saw in completely the reverse order, making them miracles" Ray how

are two problems that apply to allscientists, Targ and PuthofF included. First, funding clearly depends on money available to prove that subjects of their choice bave psychic aility: the mystique of the hard-headed scientist 'objectively searching for bears little relationsnip to in of science reality; the real most people trying to the truth of hypothesis to which are already committed. Thus it is haraly_surprising to ûd that Targ and Puthoff are to Geller and to believe in more cautious about Geller's metal Targ has worked in the bending) . area on and for Puthoff other Coast feds, and Scientologist (as is Ingo Swsnnow an area where observation is In anyway, have the SRI difficult does not cause them to Or misinterpret the data to Geller's beneft? they

a success

One test with Geller that is fron the throws omitted interesting Ihereas the the telcpathy test arc described as tbe "entire set of consecutive experiments" this is 2 Gelier draw the to contents

The final question that must be answered is how the SRI paper stacks up against Occam's there plausible normal mcthod by Geller could Iave done his twc successful tests hard define in this situation, but it must take into can be donc with the assistance of Dr Andrija Fuharich.

As the box the on next page shows, Puharich is mcdical elcctronics cxpert who developed radio receiver which can be hidden in tooth It must thereUri has miniature radio receiver concealed his person. Even if it is not hidden in bis tecth, it could easiìy in hair or in wristwatch which he presses against his chin to hear. Tle possibilities are cspecially if Uri is not carcfully searched Because Uri constantly runs bis and across his face, no one would notice him listening to Tracy wrist radio _nor, because of the direct nerve stimulation, would anyone

There are two small pieces of evidence that Eive some credence to this suggestion. The most obvious is that all of Uri's arc representations of words wbich would describe the target drawing, and thus are consistent with radio communication Thesecond occurred in January when Pubarich telling me that in any test Uri sbould "propcrly cxamined" for bidden devices. then he suddenly adaed: "But I know Uri will not submit cxcessive cxamination like total body X-radiation" In not permit the only . test for a Puharich implanted radio receiver. But

To SRI has "; shic'ded rconis for ti:e drawing tcsts. But have succceded; or is to penetrate the roon to radio? thcy

To answer I consullcd Iobert scnior lecturer at imperiai

using their Engin-

as he was apparcntly able to see inside the box

information into any Tl:c reason, hc is that roons arc nct dcsicred {0 protect against Secretivc to get information tbrovsh.

wcrc donc (Sl in Ihc 'Tablc, doublcThc sccond coppcr-scrccn Faraday cagc which "provides 120 altcnuation for radio {rcqucncy radiation ovcr rangc of 15 Kllz to

SBI pzper gires vaguc on the in most

Kearing vvith a tooth

The of mriters, radio thæt can bc conccaled in actually exists and inrealed Andriia Henry ~he is wealthy MID who Sircc for people ere deafness.

Normally, the sould carry would pick up sounds end transmit thcm to the tooth. But Puharich and co-inventor Joseph Lawrence noted in US Patent issued 23 August, the devicc of be adapted for longer range transmission of radio frequency signals" _ "may,

Puharich s hearing aid is a device which stimulales cerizin facial neres just 2s organ stimulaies auditory nerves, a2d the person actually hear using his her work Iith on the face neck, on the tongue, aud the sauses Pubarich But for cosnetic nerves in living tooth best.

an iable tooth, fo: receivinz electromagnetic signals and transducer elemeat coupled receiving and endings te tooth for coverting the electronagnetic sgnals to and imparting the electrical to the endings of ze tooth for transto the brzin, according to 2 995 655 issued 8 August,

fiiling, Gold

Drawinn {rcm of

Although thc will receive radio signals directly, it works best with amplilier. In the initial patent, this amplifier is relatively large; concealed in two false next to the viable one with the implant (Figure 2) But by 1964,

Puharich hed modified the amplifier circuitry (US Patent 5 156 787) to be mounted on the one tootb_ Thc drawing (Figurc 3) "is Ereatly exaggeraled in size to facilitate description. The entirc assembly adrantageously is of wafer-thin concealed with the cap. It is contemplatcd that the various components of the system of thc invcntion nay bc further to micro-miniaturc prcporlions, through the usc of so-called

is provided by fecdback citlcr (Figurc from presscd 2n ferminal Jcop

said that this is tpical of screen: for shicldcd rooms, and provides the kcy to insidc in tbis Atlenuation drops off very at the very small about said, 10 GHz or more provide King ing Jc



has the interesting side eilect amplification only works the tongue is pressed against the and thus the can listcn selcc tively and be undisturbed radio signals at other times.

In another version of the device, described in tle 1966 which is covered on its surface a thin film of could be pressed egainst thc skin in of several areas of the head and neck" to facial nerves and produce effect of hearing. Thc electrodc is cornected receiver similar to the mounted in the tooth. Tbe feedback circuit is connection to any point cn For example, quite held in the hand could be pressed against the face. "one

Geller performs at Birkbeck

Uri Celler has with one Britzin. On 21 and 22 June, 1974, hc did sct of tests Loncon University. Also present were Professor David Dr Ted Bastin and stong Geller who first introduced Uri to proponent who thc Ncw Scicntist report on Geller at S), theoretical Jack Sarfatt, other pcople. Dr

As csual, the whole non-paranormal bet:er controlled tests scems no than the typical Gcller show. they

In an unpublished paper, Hasted reports that Gcller four kevs and 0-32 mm thick, counter, and deíected compass needle while at the pulse on arc consistent the GeJler could concentration producc occasional and predictable pulses of clectronotive rather un Gciger

last month, Bohm told me th2t "nfortunately there Jot in the and that "as far much better conditions in his hotel February 1974] where it room [in much quieter"

is that made in the SRI film of Geller: "we that these types of [compass necdle] found Jater be produced could by of metal, smJll in fact that could not be detectcd bv masnetometer" they

"I assure that theras tbere no tricks, and no one could, Bohm added. "Geller works in very high staie of excitement which conmunicates to the menters, and that makes it hard to experiis your mind keep

Uri must be in the right state "My_attitude is that whatever hie we must For examplc, "considering tile sort of person Geller is, you couldn't would put of"

the Hasted paper, Geller bent four brass ell cases the of between and 40" took

bave one important propare rcflected by metal. Thus, are often used with wavemetal boxes which will microwaves virtually without loss around tortuous routes_ The air. conditicaing system probably used in SRI buixdings would make an especially good transmitter placed the air conditioning would to ioning ducts entering a shieldcd room special bafies to screen out redio these are highly inefective in the microwave rangeOn tae otber hend, microwave transmitting can be miniaturised and little power. A micro;vavc than cisarette pack. And even though Puharich in his patents talks about his tooth in the MHz range, it should work just 25 the GHIz range In the configuration sshere {he tongue is part of the to i: al will, and thus not

constant companions. It was first convinced Uri to perform, acccrding the Although Targ and Putbof do not mention it at all in their paper, Shipi was constantly under foot during ing the experimenters during actual experiments Shipi could easily have signalled Uri in code witi a transmitter hidden in his pocket, for example The SRI paper also notes that wasdrawn and brought near the shielded room wbich suggests had other chances to see it as well. In the chaos of the computer for tests 11 been noticcd while the picturc w25 bcing decidcd on and drawn. Thc SRI data shows some support for this sort hypothesis ~when the drawings undcr control of who requests and thc presence of Shipi, Uri failed (Trials 5. 6, and 7) have

Hcw radio bc uscd? Pcrhaps the simplest way would be to it to thc room in which the werc anxivus bug

frequency M} pass through tl;c cracks between thc stccl plates around door. notcs tuat King

Cri

with

rcquest

Uri

provide

With

thcy

not Puharich could surely sinple way. Four other rossibilitics came to

Bohm also noted that Geller "tends to get discouraged have given stronger proof, but he state of mind'



picturc out loud after drew aftcr all, as sav in thcir shiciced paper, the tio: isolathey

Another would involve Shipi inscparable companion. to Puharich in book Uri Gcllcr first mct Shipi in 1967 Uri scrving as a counscilor at summer uí

to complete; Iasted noted. mucl good could have the closcly the ohservcrs no natter Jos the chaos that Watching_with have been trivially reigncd the ollice, it slould time, kcys thcy

mctal was not asked spccilcally to bend objects. Gcller than others on the table" As rathcr 180, SRI observed the box on page similar cvent and cvcn vidcotaped it, of-hand. "Mr yet they

The counter was connected and a chart rccorder; and "during to an amplifier 10 minules eight pulses of duration of the order second werc recorded Iowever; the clicking,which was recorded loudsveaker on megnetic tape, did not always accelerate during the chart recorded pulses, nor did second counter rccord click consistently"_ To me, this is more consistent Uri or of his the chart recorder fiddling with a knob on the amplifier than with any paranormal Geigcr Geiger

transmittcr

17 October 1974

in

the room, penc:rale in this way.

2) To shiclded siezts, is [o put stecl platc (usually vall) not (this is supportcd te fact tbe coppcr 5 dB loss to nag cetc felds at loms {rcquency nagnclic induc of data Frequencics of 5-10 Hz should double coil could be conccaled in sitting next to the bare bis hidcen behind Jis Duriag 50 minutes could trans-

5) If not properly shielded tbe current it be supply to the room, possible to send radio sigzals is for internal systems in unirersities; hospitals, and the iike). This could be dorc szaller than a transmitter into cigarette plugged in tbe building. Geller simply touch electric iaside the cege 2s aloug

is intercom connecting cege "ith the outside cut cut 3 But if it docs not could be room sith the transmitter simply clipped onto

The preceding discusson applics only of the shiclded room The other successful test ~guessing be Mr Hubcrt Caddy International Magic Studio, me that bas been possible to dice for wouid too dificult for tbe radio die in the sane Switch

this all depends on the cooperation In his book reports extra-terresto for longer then be Cri. be report eccepted needs Uri's 222 arc asking me to do I mây pot be ablc to if no onc bclievc in arc Jim and do,

In

bis

if Uri's rcqiest camc via Spcclrz, Puharich would bc surc to obcy. 'Thus, parlv to sprcad and continuing fraud to have helped Uri in this

Uri did do in his data thuis Iut it fits the at least as thc Targ-Pulloff explanalion Dy Occan's Razor it is only neccssary to show plausible normzal been not cxcludcd bc by might bc considered reverse Occam's Razor, it mnust also bc shown that the thc normal cxplanation is morc complex not sinply acccpling plausible virtually into the rcalm of sciencc fction.

Conclusion

The ultinate test of any scientific thc SRI with is the ability of other scicntists to indcpendently rcproduce thc rcsulls. As mentary on 15 January: "When I am experiments scientists, the disbelief drop But there is real danger this will not Uri will consider the publication of the to be all the scientific validation bas he needs. Uri to with the New Scientist. He backed out work with the Maimonides Medical Ceníre Division of Parapsycholozy and in Brooklyn, New York. Uri, docudoing

thetic to Gcller, but it call ia Iandi to hclp the And Mitchcll told mc that "brokc engagements" at SRI and that bc not sccm to to do any morc tlicre though "c'vc it if hc table us. Uri, it acccpscens, only scicnlists such 2s at Birkbeck secn to set any conditions at all.

Thus, it that the lished this weck njay be the closest to Jard scientilc cvidencc bc unusually closely scrutinised It seems clcar that are as laser Rassell Targ and Dr Ial Puthiof are for Uri Geller . There is too much evidence that missed out c0 tant points And their experirents {eil thc Occam's Razor did exclude of information transfer that, based on background, must bc possible. thcy thcy

do not question the SRI researchers. science is ûlled with examples of scientists ofien in pun bcrs_seeing to on Mars, polywater and thc double mass pezk of thc suppcsed A: partide are just three examples. Sereral told mc that scientists are good audicnces because easily foolcd. Míy investigalicns of phcnomenon support tnis. Tle SR peper does not stand up the mass of circun stantiæl esiàence Uri Geller is simply largc



2000/08/07