Phenomena

1. The U.S. Government's Decades-Long Pursuit of the Paranormal

This is a book about scientists and psychics with top-secret clearances.

Government interest. From the ashes of World War II and throughout the Cold War, the U.S. government harbored a deep interest in anomalous mental phenomena, including extrasensory perception (ESP) and psychokinesis (PK). Driven by the fear of Soviet advances in these fields, the U.S. military and intelligence agencies embarked on classified programs to explore the potential of psychic abilities for military and espionage applications.

Pseudoscience or strategic advantage? The government's pursuit of the paranormal was fraught with controversy, as the scientific community largely rejected ESP and PK as pseudoscience. Despite the lack of a theoretical understanding, the potential military and intelligence advantages of these abilities, such as remote viewing and mind control, fueled decades of classified research.

The sheep-goat divide. The belief or disbelief in anomalous mental phenomena created a divide within the U.S. military and intelligence communities, with "sheep" (believers) advocating for further research and "goats" (skeptics) questioning the validity and practicality of such endeavors. This division shaped the trajectory of government-sponsored psychic research and continues to influence the debate surrounding the existence and potential applications of ESP and PK.

2. The Early Pioneers: Puharich and the Round Table Foundation

Understanding the nature of man’s consciousness is my lifelong quest.

Andrija Puharich's vision. Dr. Andrija Puharich, a medical doctor and researcher, became a central figure in the U.S. government's early exploration of the paranormal. Puharich's lifelong quest to understand human consciousness led him to establish the Round Table Foundation, a privately funded research facility in Maine, where he conducted experiments on ESP and other anomalous mental phenomena.

Wealthy benefactors and esoteric research. Puharich's work attracted the support of wealthy benefactors, including members of the Astor, Borden, and du Pont families, who shared his interest in ESP and provided the financial resources to fund his research. The Round Table Foundation became a hub for scientists, philosophers, and mystics, fostering an environment of unconventional thinking and experimentation.

From civilian pursuits to military applications. Puharich's research at the Round Table Foundation eventually caught the attention of the U.S. military, leading to his involvement in classified government programs aimed at exploring the potential of ESP for military and intelligence purposes. This marked a turning point in Puharich's career, as his esoteric pursuits became intertwined with the national security goals of the Cold War era.

3. The Rise of Skepticism and the Army's Esoteric Experiments

ESP and PK can be found only when the experiments are relatively careless, and supervised by experimenters who are firm believers.

The scientific method vs. the paranormal. The scientific method, with its emphasis on observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and repeatability, clashed with the elusive and often inconsistent nature of ESP and PK phenomena. Skeptics, led by figures like Martin Gardner, challenged the validity of ESP research, citing issues with laboratory controls, data skewing, and the influence of experimenter bias.

Army's foray into animal ESP. Despite the skepticism, the U.S. Army conducted its own experiments on ESP, including studies on dogs' ability to locate underwater mines and pigeons' homing instincts. While some initial results appeared promising, subsequent trials often failed to produce consistent or repeatable evidence of ESP.

Puharich's disillusionment with Army life. Puharich's experience in the Army contrasted sharply with the utopian environment of the Round Table Foundation. He found Army life rigid and conventional, stifling his esoteric research and mystical beliefs. This led to his decision to leave the Army and return to his privately funded research, further blurring the lines between science and the supernatural.

4. Nazi Occultism: A Cold War Catalyst

The same kind of manipulation was occurring in the United States.

The occult and the Third Reich. The Nazi regime's entanglement with the occult, particularly Heinrich Himmler's reliance on astrology and quasi-science, played a significant role in shaping the Cold War arms race. The Allies captured Nazi documents detailing research into anomalous mental phenomena, which sparked interest in both the United States and the Soviet Union.

British intelligence and black propaganda. British intelligence employed black propaganda tactics, such as using astrologers to influence Nazi leaders like Rudolf Hess, highlighting the perceived power of mystical beliefs in shaping political and military events. This manipulation further fueled the U.S. government's interest in exploring the potential of the supernatural for strategic advantage.

Operation Alsos and the race for Nazi secrets. The U.S. military's Operation Alsos aimed to secure Nazi scientific and technological advancements, including those related to the occult, before they fell into Soviet hands. This competition over the spoils of war marked the beginning of the psychic arms race between the two superpowers.

5. The CIA's Quest for Psychic Weapons and Truth Serums

Leading the charge in the United States was the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency.

Early CIA programs and the search for truth serums. The CIA's early programs, such as Bluebird, Artichoke, and MKULTRA, sought to develop truth serums and explore methods of influencing and controlling human behavior. These programs involved controversial experiments, including the use of hallucinogenic drugs and the exploration of ancient Aztec legends about "God's flesh."

The quest for teonanáctl. The CIA's interest in teonanáctl, a Mexican field mushroom believed to enhance psychic abilities, led to a classified program called MKULTRA Subproject 58. The Agency's efforts to locate and mass-produce the mushroom for intelligence use highlighted the lengths to which the U.S. government was willing to go in its pursuit of psychic weapons.

Puharich's involvement and the CIA's bypass. Dr. Andrija Puharich's knowledge of magic, mystical, supernatural, and occult research made him a valuable asset in the CIA's quest for teonanáctl. However, the Agency ultimately bypassed Puharich and approached mushroom hunter Gordon Wasson directly, demonstrating the cutthroat nature of the psychic arms race.

6. The Enigma of Uri Geller and the Dawn of Remote Viewing

Now Puharich had a new obsession.

Geller's rise to fame. Uri Geller, a former Israeli paratrooper, gained international recognition for his alleged psychic abilities, including spoon bending and telepathy. His performances and claims attracted both fervent believers and staunch skeptics, making him a controversial figure in the world of parapsychology.

Puharich's interest and the CIA's intervention. Dr. Andrija Puharich's fascination with Geller's abilities led him to bring the psychic to the attention of the CIA. The Agency, eager to explore Geller's potential for intelligence gathering, initiated a research program at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to study his powers under controlled laboratory conditions.

The birth of remote viewing. The SRI program, led by physicists Hal Puthoff and Russell Targ, focused on developing a standardized protocol for extrasensory perception, which they termed "remote viewing." This technique aimed to train individuals to perceive information about distant locations or objects using only their minds, laying the foundation for future government-sponsored psychic intelligence programs.

7. The Moon, the Military, and the Mysteries of Consciousness

The player on the other side is hidden from us.

Mitchell's secret experiment. Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, driven by his interest in consciousness and mental telepathy, conducted a secret ESP experiment during his mission to the Moon. This unauthorized experiment highlighted the growing interest in anomalous mental phenomena within the U.S. military and space programs.

Zener cards in space. Mitchell used Zener cards, a staple in ESP testing, to conduct sender-receiver trials with individuals on Earth. While the results were inconclusive, the experiment demonstrated the potential for long-distance telepathic communication and further fueled the government's interest in psychic research.

The quest for understanding consciousness. Mitchell's experience in space led him to question the nature of consciousness and its connection to the universe. He sought to bridge the gap between outer space and inner space, exploring the potential of human consciousness to transcend the limitations of the physical world.

8. The Soviet Threat: A Paranormal Arms Race

In Leningrad the Nautilus reports went off like a depth charge.

The Nautilus report and Soviet response. A French magazine article about alleged U.S. Navy ESP experiments aboard the USS Nautilus sparked a wave of interest in parapsychology within the Soviet Union. This prompted the Soviet government to allocate resources to psychic research, viewing it as a potential military and intelligence tool.

From Rasputin to "biocommunications phenomena." The Soviet Union's approach to psychic research was shaped by its history and ideology. The legacy of Grigori Rasputin, a Russian monk who wielded influence over the Czarist court, led to an initial suppression of mystical practices. However, the perceived threat from the U.S. prompted the Soviets to reframe ESP as a science-based discipline, using terms like "long-distance biological signal transmission" to distance it from its occult roots.

Psychotronic weapons and the Moscow Signal. Soviet research into "psychotronic weapons," electromagnetic devices designed to influence human behavior, raised concerns within the U.S. intelligence community. The discovery of the Moscow Signal, a microwave beam aimed at the U.S. embassy in Moscow, led to classified U.S. programs like Project Pandora, which sought to understand and counter the potential effects of electromagnetic weapons on the human brain.

9. From the CIA to the DIA: The Evolution of Psychic Intelligence

It was the CIA, not the Defense Department, that took action first.

The Medical Intelligence Office and the "psychoenergetic threat." The U.S. Army's Medical Intelligence Office, later transferred to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), conducted a classified assessment of the Soviet "psychoenergetic threat." This report highlighted the potential for Soviet agents to use ESP and PK to disrupt military technology, access state secrets, influence leaders, and assassinate officials.

The rise of Ninel Kulagina. The Soviet psychic Ninel Kulagina, known for her alleged ability to move objects with her mind, became a subject of intense interest within the U.S. defense community. A film showing Kulagina stopping a frog's heart with her mind sparked debate and prompted calls for a U.S. program to mirror Soviet psychic warfare efforts.

The shift to the DIA and the search for operational utility. As the CIA's interest in psychic research waned, the DIA took over the program, focusing on its potential for intelligence collection. This shift marked a transition from basic research to applied operations, with the goal of using ESP and PK for practical military and espionage purposes.

10. The Modern Era: Intuition, Technology, and the Future of ESP

The chessboard is the world; the pieces are the phenomena of the universe; the rules of the game are what we call laws of nature.

The enduring quest for a general theory. Despite decades of research and experimentation, a comprehensive theoretical understanding of ESP and PK remains elusive. The lack of a unifying theory continues to fuel skepticism and limit the acceptance of psychic phenomena within the scientific community.

Modern approaches: intuition, technology, and the brain. In the modern era, research into anomalous mental phenomena has shifted towards exploring the role of intuition, leveraging advanced technologies, and studying the brain. The U.S. Navy, for example, is investigating the potential of "sensemaking" and "Power Dreaming" to enhance soldiers' decision-making abilities and resilience.

The genomics of supernormality. Scientists are now exploring the genetic and neurological basis of psychic abilities, seeking to identify biomarkers and genetic predispositions that may contribute to extraordinary human functioning. This research aims to move beyond anecdotal evidence and subjective experiences, providing a more objective and scientific understanding of ESP and PK.

Last updated: February 23, 2025