Peeranormal

Nearly twenty studies of whether intercessory prayer has a positive (or any) effect on seriously ill patients have been conducted by physicians and other medical researchers since 1965. Results are mixed, ranging from mild positive effects to an increase in adverse effects. The assumptions of the very idea have been challenged—is prayer something that can… Continue reading Peeranormal 22: Intercessory Prayer

Live from Branson, Missouri.

Photographs of “orbs” – small circular or globular lights – that are invisible to the naked eye at the time of the photography are ubiquitous on the internet. Very little scientific research has been conducted to explain the photographic phenomenon. Most of the discussion online asserts that orbs are spirits or some other energy life form. Is this true or is there a coherent, conventional explanation? In this episode, we survey the available literature and consider examples of orbs in photographs.Three resources:Luciano Pederzoli, “Photos of Globes (Orbs): An Analysis,” updated article from SSRN (Social Science Research Network), 12/01/2017Gary E. Schwartz and Katherine Creath, “Anomalous Orbic ‘Spirit’ Photographs: A Conventional Optical Explanation,” Journal of Scientific Exploration 19:3 (2005): 343-358Dave Wood, “The Orb Zone: Accounts of Experimentation into the Natural Causes of ‘Orbs’,” Journal for the Society of Psychical Research 76:1, no 906 (January 2012): 17-31

Many people have experienced déjà vu, the feeling that a situation or event is familiar, though there is no evidence that the situation has been experienced before. Recent studies have shown that roughly two-thirds of people have experienced déjà vu at least once. This episode explores three research articles chronicling the phenomenon and its elements… Continue reading Peeranormal 19: Déjà Vu

“Samhain” (pronounced "sow-in," with the "ow" like in "cow," or “sow-een,” with “ow” as in “glow”) is an Irish Gaelic term for the time of "summer's end,” as well as a festival to mark the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter which, in the Gaelic / Celtic calendar, marked the beginning of the year. Because the Celtic day began and ended at sunset, not sunrise, the festival was traditionally celebrated from October 31 to November 1. Sanhaim is the ancient backdrop to Halloween, not only in terms of the calendar, but also in terms of basically all the modern elements of that holiday. This episode investigates the history of Samhain and its curious links to the ancient biblical worldview of demons, giants, and the realm of the dead.Articles for this episode:In public domain, via archive.org, from Hastings’ Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics (ed. James Hastings, John A. Selbie, and Louis H. Gray; Edinburgh; New York: T. & T. Clark; Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1908–1926):“(Celtic) Cosmogony”“Celtic Feasts and Festivals”“Irish Deities”Journal articles not in public domain:Helen Sewell Johnson, “November Eve Beliefs and Customs in Irish Life and Literature,” The Journal of American Folklore 81:320 (Apr. – Jun., 1968), pp. 133-142Jack Santino, “Halloween in America: Contemporary Customs and Performances,” Western Folklore 42:1 (Jan., 1983), pp. 1-20

This episode is the final in our series on quantum mechanics and its presumed relationship to metaphysical ideas, religion, theology, and the paranormal. As in Part 1 and Part 2, our panel welcomes Dr. Rob (“Putty”) Putman, who holds a PhD in theoretical quantum physics, but who is presently pastoring a church in Illinois. In this third and final episode, we focus on the phenomenon of quantum entanglement and ask questions about quantum computing and what metaphysical statements are reasonable to make on the basis of entanglement. Is everything in the universe connected? Is the statement “all is one” scientifically valid?Resources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Ia3kcQydc&list=WL&t=0s&index=87https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMWo-rhlpmQ

This episode continues our series on quantum mechanics and its presumed relationship to metaphysical ideas, religion, theology, and the paranormal. As in Part 1, our panel welcomes Dr. Rob (“Putty”) Putman, who holds a PhD in theoretical quantum physics, but who is presently pastoring a church in Illinois. In this second episode, we focus on how (or whether) quantum mechanics relates to the subject of (1) other dimensions; (2) whether one of those other dimensions is the spiritual realm talked about in the Bible and other religious texts, and (3) fears about what’s happening at CERN in regard to puncturing holes into other dimensions releasing demons. Are such ideas coherent? Are they justifiable in light of the science?Video Resources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWyTxCsIXE4&list=WL&t=0s&index=86

This episode launches a series on quantum mechanics and its presumed relationship to metaphysical ideas, religion, theology, and the paranormal. During the series we’ll be joined by Dr. Rob (“Putty”) Putman, who holds a PhD in theoretical quantum physics, but now pastors a church in Illinois. In this first episode, we survey the history of quantum mechanics and talk about how some of the important ideas are used to make metaphysical statements about all of reality—statements that are inherently theological and religious. Are such statements accurate? What can we really say about the nature of reality and God on the basis of quantum physics?LinksWilliam E. Brown, "Quantum Theology: Christianity and the New Physics," JETS 33:4 (1990)Victor Stenger, PhD, “The Myth of Quantum Consciousness”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiAj7S6ko9Q&index=85&list=WL&t=0shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVpXrbZ4bnU&index=84&list=WL&t=662s

Discovered in 1929, the Piri Reis map, dated to 1513, was virtually unknown except by those who may have seen it displayed in its current home, the Topkapi Palace Museum in Instanbul. That all changed when Erich von Däniken made it part of his ancient astronaut theory in the 1960s. Other ancient aliens theorists have followed suit, as well as alternative historians such as Graham Hancock who, following the work of Charles Hapgood (Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings, 1966), theorized the map provided evidence of a long-lost advanced civilization.  In this episode of PEERANORMAL our hosts discuss the scholarly study of the Piri Reis map, which is well known to experts in cartography and 16th century seafaring. Is it evidence of lost knowledge from a forgotten civilization? Ancient aliens?Resources:Gregory C. McIntosh, The Piri Reis Map of 1513 (Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 2000)Gregory C. McIntosh, “The Tale of Two Admirals: Columbus and the Piri Reis Map of 1513,” Academia.edu, online document accessed January 20, 2018Thomas D. Goodrich, Review of The Piri Reis Map of 1513 by Gregory C. McIntosh (Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 2000), Imago Mundi, Vol. 53 (2001): 150-151P. D. A. Harvey, Review of The Piri Reis Map of 1513 by Gregory C. McIntosh (Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 2000), The International History Review 23:4 (Dec., 2001): 894-896Svat Soucek, “Piri Reis and Ottoman Discovery of the Great Discoveries,” Studia Islamica 79 (1994): 121-142N. Akmal Ayyubi, “The Contribution of Piri Reis to Cartography,” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 50, Golden Jubilee Session (1989): 737-740Diego Cuoghi, “The Mysteries of the Piri Reis Map,” (accessed 2/6/2018) – an excellent resource for map visualizations

Back in mid-nineties a peer-reviewed article was published that sought to legitimize the idea that the Hebrew text of Genesis encrypted meaningful information about modern persons and events. Their method for detecting the presumed encrypted knowledge was known as equidistant letter sequencing (ELS).This article (Witztum, Rips, and Rosenberg) became a reference point for journalist Michael Drosnin, who wrote the bestselling book, The Bible Code, shortly thereafter. Subsequent to the success of Drosnin’s book, Bible-code research expanded to the full Torah and beyond, to the rest of the Hebrew Bible. In this episode we ask whether there is such a thing as ELS Bible codes. Have other statisticians and biblical scholars agreed with Witztum, Rips, and Rosenberg, or are there serious problems with the method and its assumptions?ArticlesWitztum, Doron, Eliyahu Rips, and Yoav Rosenberg, “Equidistant letter sequences in the Book of Genesis,” Statistical Science 9.3 (1994): 429-438McKay, Brendan, Dror Bar-Natan, Maya Bar-Hillel, and Gil Kalai, “Solving the Bible Code puzzle,” Statistical Science (1999): 150-173.Richard A. Taylor, “The Bible Code: ‘Teaching them [wrong] things’,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 43, no. 4 (2000): 619-636Paul J. Tanner. “Decoding the Bible Code,” Bibliotheca Sacra 157 (2000): 141-159.Link to Naked Bible Podcast Episode 104: How we got the Old Testament

Are zombies real or just something Hollywood is into nowadays? If you’ve ever seen the movie The Serpent and the Rainbow, you know the question is legitimate. That movie was based on a book by Wade Davis, who earned his PhD in part on the basis of his research into “zombification” in Haiti. Davis and others theorize that zombies are real, and that they are the result of specific drugs given to individuals against their will that produce zombie-like states and behavior. The modern drug Flakka is a current, frightening example. Other researchers disagree, noting that zombie lore is very old and encompasses notions that sound a lot like demonization and possession. This episode of PEERANORMAL explores the topic just in time for Halloween.Readings:Ackermann, Hans-W & Gauthier, Jeanine, “The Ways and Nature of the Zombi,” The Journal of American Folklore 104:414 (1991): 466-494Murtaugh, “Constructing the Haitian Zombie: An Anthropological Study Beyond Madness”William Booth, “Voodoo Science,” Science new series, 240:4850 (April 15, 1988): 274-277Neurophilosophy (Science Blogs), “The ethnobiology of voodoo zombification,” Sept 13, 2007Wade Davis, “Zombification,” Science new series, 240: 4860 (June 1988): 1715-1716Natalina, “Indonesian Zombie Photo: Real, Fake, or Misunderstood?” Extraordinary Intelligence blog, Sept 20, 2010YouTube: Zombie Drug BRAZIL ‘Cloud Nine‘ (2017)

Back in 2012 the world heard that Bigfoot DNA had been isolated and genetically tested under controlled laboratory conditions. Those involved claimed that the testing had proven the existence of Bigfoot (aka, Sasquatch), and that the creature was a hybrid between modern homo sapiens and an unknown primate species.In a short time, the story unraveled and the research was scrutinized by experts revealing a number of flaws. But this was not the only attempt at producing genetic evidence for Bigfoot. There were earlier and subsequent tests. Is there genuine evidence for Bigfoot DNA?Graphic from joshuastevens.net

Jack Brewer is the force behind the excellent blog, The UFO Trail. Since 2009 Jack has devoted considerable time to researching the connections between elements of the alien abduction narrative, hypnosis techniques used to “recover” memories of the alleged abduction experience, and research programs and personnel associated with documented government mind control programs such as MK-ULTRA. These connections are well documented in his book The Grays Have Been Framed: Exploitation in the UFO Community. Jack shares elements of his research in this interview.

Is Rh-Negative Blood Evidence of Alien / Nephilim Hybridization?The idea that people with Rh-Negative blood indicates alien or nephilim ancestry is on the rise in fringe internet communities and websites. In this episode our panel is joined by someone with medical training (MD) who is familiar with blood typing and the genetics behind Rh-negative blood. The episode discusses the nature of Rh-negative blood, its genetic explanation, and speculations about other traits associated with Rh-negative blood.Sources for this episode Ellen K. Tarr, “Everything you know about being Rh-negative is wrong,” paper delivered at the 2016 CSICON in Las Vegas, NVSee this link for the published versionGurudev, “Why Rh Negative is not Blood of Gods or of Alien Origin”Neil D. Avent and Marion E. Reid, “The Rh Blood Group System: A Review,” BLOOD 95:2 (January 15, 2000): 375-387; published by the American Society of Hematology at Penn StateIsabelle Mouro, Yves Colin, Baya Chérif-Zahar, Jean-Pierre Cartron & Caroline Le Van Kim, “Genetic Basis of RhD Positive and RhD-Negative Blood Group Polymorphism as Determined by Southern Analysis,”  BLOOD 78:10 (November 15, 1991): 2747-2752; published by the American Society of Hematology at Penn State“Southern Analysis” = The “Southern blot” method of DNA analysis.Other links for the show:http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/665645/I-proved-human-alien-hybrids-EXIST-says-scientist-who-found-them-living-on-Earthhttps://www.gaia.com/article/rh-negative-blood-abducted-alienshttp://reflectionofmind.org/rhesus-rh-negative-blood-may-belong-nephilim/

There have been dozens of documented cases where the recipient of a transplant, often involving the heart, apparently take on the personalities of the organ donor. Recipients also report memories of the donor, and memories that belong to the donor, despite never having met the donor. These cases range from very young children to adults. How can memories and behaviors be transmitted from one person to the next when brain and neural tissue is not involved? Does this phenomenon relate to the question of consciousness?Source articles for the episode:B. Bunzel, B. Schmidl-Mohl, A. Grundböck and G. Wollenek, “Does Changing the Heart Mean Changing Personality? A Retrospective Inquiry on 47 Heart Transplant Patients?” Quality of Life Research, vol 1, no 4 (1992): 251-256Paul Pearsall, Gary E. R. Schwartz, Linda G. S. Russek, “CHANGES IN HEART TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS THAT PARALLEL THE PERSONALITIES OF THEIR DONORS,” Integrative Medicine vol 2, nos. 2-3 (1999): 67-52; republished in the Journal of Near Deaf Studies vol 20, no 3 (2002): 191-206. HTML versionThomas Verny, “What Cells Remember: Toward a Unified Field Theory of Memory,” Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, vol 29, no 1 (Fall 2014): 16-29

This episode focuses on entheogens—psychedelic drugs that are known to cause “mystical states” of consciousness. Our hosts discuss Rick Strassman’s work on DMT, but that is merely a subset of entheogen study. Current research in the fields of brain science, psychology, and religion are struggling to explain how entheogens and the experiences they cause should be understood. The dilemma of consciousness, more popularly known as the mind-body problem, is at the heart of the struggle. Do entheogens simply affect part of the brain and its chemistry triggering new states of consciousness from inside your head? Or do these drugs separate consciousness from the organ of the body we call the brain, verifying that consciousness is distinct from the brain? Are God and other supernal beings experienced by people under the effect of entheogens just a product of the brain, or are they entities to be experienced by unhindered consciousness?Articles:Peter Bebergal, “Mystics Under the Microscope,” Search Magazine (January-February 2009): 35-39Ron Cole-Turner, “Entheogens, Mysticism, and Neuroscience,” Zygon, vol. 49:3 (September 2014): 642-651Leonard Hummel, “By its Fruits? Mystical and Visionary States of Consciousness Occasioned by Entheogens,” Zygon, vol. 49, no. 3 (September 2014) : 685-695Michael Lerner and Michael Lyvers, “Values and Beliefs of Psychedelic Drug Users: A Cross-Cultural Study,” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 38:2  (June 2006): 143-147David P. Luke and Marios Kittenis, “A Preliminary Survey of Paranormal Experiences with Psychoactive Drugs,” The Journal of Parapsychology 69:2 (2005): 305-327W.A. Richards, “Here and Now: Discovering the Sacred with Entheogens,” Zygon 49:3 (Sept, 2014):652-665

Sleep paralysis can be defined in several ways. In terms of the experiencer, it can be described as "a visitation by a malevolent creature which attacked its victims as they slept" (Cox). More clinically, sleep paralysis is understood as "a transient,conscious state of involuntary immobility occurring when falling asleep or upon wakening" (Cheyne, 2002). Research into sleep paralysis has produced compelling evidence that the phenomenon can be explained by brain chemistry and physiology in conjunction with REM sleep. But is that all there is to it? Articles:Patricia Brooks and John H. Peever, "Identification of the Transmitter and Receptor Mechanisms Responsible for REM Sleep Paralysis," The Journal of Neuroscience (July 18, 2012): 9785-9795J. A. Cheyne, S. Rueffer, and Ian R. Newby-Clark, "Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Hallucinations during Sleep Paralysis: Neurological and Cultural Construction of the Night-Mare," Consciousness and Cognition 8 (1999): 319–337J. A. Cheyne, "Situational factors affecting sleep paralysis and associated hallucinations: position and timing effects," Journal of Sleep Research 11 (2002): 169–177Ann M. Cox, "Sleep Paralysis and Folklore," Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Open 6(7) (2015): 1-4

Peeranormal’s inaugural Halloween episode focuses on academic research into vampires and ghosts with special guest Dr. Judd Burton from burtonbeyond.com. Our hosts take a look at vampirism as centuries-old myth and modern phenomenon. Where did the vampire legend come from? What were the historical circumstances since the late 18th century that contributed to belief in the fateful undead, hungry for blood? What about ghosts? Is there any empirical evidence that would suggest people can experience a supernatural presence in places said to be haunted? How would scientists try to make that case? Readings:Michael Bell, “Vampires and Death in New England, 1784 to 1892,” Anthropology and Humanism 31:2 (2006): 124–140Jaffe and Cataldo, “Clinical Vampirism: Blending Myth and Reality,” Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatric and the Law 22:4 (1994): 533-544Moreno Tiziani, “Vampires and Vampirism: Pathological Roots of a Myth,” Antrocom 5:2 (2009): 133-137Michaeleen Maher, “Quantitative Investigation of the General Wayne Inn,” Journal of Parapsychology 64 (2000): 365-390Wiseman, Watt, Stevens, Greening, O’Keefe, “An Investigation into Alleged Hauntings,” British Journal of Psychology 94 (May 2003): 195-211

Crop circles are well known — patterns that appear in fields of crops when certain areas of the field are compressed. Investigators have long noted how the stalks are bent uniformly, without visible damage. This episode of Peeranormal takes a look at some of the sparse academic peer-reviewed research on crop circles to discuss if they are man-made, created by an unknown natural force, or something paranormal.

EVP (“Electronic Voice Phenomena”) are “a class of allegedly mysterious vocal recordings, and while several explanations have been offered to explain their origin, the overwhelming majority of EVP researchers believe that their recordings constitute physical evidence of contact with the afterlife. In other words, most EVP researchers believe that it is possible, using various radio and electrical engineering techniques, to record the voices of ghosts” (Banks, 77). This episode of Peeranormal discusses several journal articles about the phenomena and efforts to test the viability of a paranormal explanation.Articles mentioned in the episode:Banks 2001 Rorschach Audio – Ghost Voices and Perceptual CreativityBaruss 2001 Failure to Replicate Electronic Voice Phenomenon Nees Phillips Auditory Pareidolia – Perceptions of Purportedly Paranormal and Ambiguous Auditory Stimuli

Pet-owners often observe behavior that makes them wonder if their pet has a psychic connection to them. One example is the perception that a dog or cat "knows" when its owner is on the way home. This episode of Peeranormal discusses some peer-reviewed experiments into "psychic animals" and the ability to know when owners are coming home. Is the explanation Psi/telepathy or something else?Links:http://deanradin.com/evidence/Sheldrake2000-2.pdfhttp://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.552.548&rep=rep1&type=pdfhttp://www.sheldrake.org/research/animal-powers/psychic-pets-a-survey-in-north-west-england

This is the inaugural episode of PEERANORMAL – a podcast that focuses on the paranormal, but with a significant twist. As this first episode explains, PEERANORMAL introduces listeners to peer-reviewed research on all things generally considered paranormal: ghosts, PSI, ESP, NDEs, OBEs, UFOs, Forteana, alien abduction, cryptozoology, etc. Believe it or not, real research in real labs by real scientists and scholars gets published every year on all these topics and more. Other podcasts are only opinion and speculation. PEERANORMAL is where listeners learn what's real and what isn't. Listen as we introduce the hosts and the sorts of research and discussion you can expect. Links referenced:On the Importance of Academic Publishinghttp://deanradin.com/evidence/evidence.htm