The paranormal ability to see distant places or persons is referred to as remote viewing. In 1978, researchers in California, Harold Puthoff and Russell Targ, reported successful experiments in which one person was sent to a randomly selected outdoor location and the second person attempted to communicate psychically with the first and describe the scene at the remote location. Later, other scientists disputed the validity of their greater-than-chance results. It was found that the experimental subjects were not �blind� to the target � they may have had clues to the locations they were to describe. Parapsychologists claim that more scientific experiments have been successful but the drawings of the remote locations are often vague shapes or descriptions. The U.S. government has allegedly spent taxpayer money to study this phenomena and it is likely that it was attempted by �psychic spies� during the Cold War era. However, the body of results from remote viewing experiments is unconvincing. Still, organizations for remote viewing claim to be successful in solving crimes, finding missing persons, assisting in revealing terrorist plots and even to transcend time to view events. Many remote viewing �institutes� offer to teach the skill they say anyone can do if properly trained.
Remote viewing should not be confused with the technique of remote sensing, a method of gathering information about the Earth�s surface from high altitude (via aircraft or satellites) with radar, photography, etc.
- Sharon Hill (Scientist) |
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