Anomalous phenomenon

Anomalous phenomena are phenomena such as those described as telepathy, psychokinesis, ghosts, and other terms not widely accepted as real by mainstream scientists, some of whom go as far as calling the serious study of them pseudoscience. Of the various subjects that can fall under this loose rubric, probably parapsychology has the greatest claim to academic respectability, due to its use, or (according to critics) alleged use, of scientific methods. There are university programs devoted to parapsychology, the most famous probably being that of the University of Edinburgh. Results of such programs are highly questionable. It has been shown on more than one occasion that the scientists in these programs can easily be fooled with parlor magic, as James Randi has shown with his Project Alpha.

Another term for "anomalous phenomenon" is "paranormal phenomenon". Paranormal phenomena can be divided into three main classes:

• Mental phenomena, unusual mental states or abilities, such as telepathy, near-death experiences and clairvoyance.
• Physical phenomena, unusual physical occurrences that may be controlled by a consciousness, such as psychokinesis, poltergeists, stigmata or materializations.
• Other phenomena, such as unidentified flying objects, reverse speech, cattle mutilation and alien abductions.

Cryptozoology studies such "hidden", undiscovered and possibly non-existent creatures as Bigfoot (cf. Patterson-Gimlin film) and the Loch Ness Monster. Other subjects that could be considered under the heading of "anomalous phenomena" (though not parapsychology) are spontaneous human combustion, doppelgangers, ouija boards, and numerology.

Anomalous phenomena may later be explained. For instance, the idea of stones falling from the sky was long ridiculed, but meteorites are now well understood.

Definition

Properly speaking, anomalous phenomena are phenomena which are observed and for which there are no suitable explanations (in the context of a specific body of knowledge, e.g. astronomy or biology). As the body of knowledge available increases, some anomalies are incorporated into an explanatory framework and lose their standing as anomalies. Many bodies of knowledge exhibit "anomaly gaps" where theory does not explain (or seem to explain) one or more observations.

There are also many cases in which no theory explains observations and no scientist can be found to make theories for them, since there is no proof of the observation in the first place. For instance, science has no interest in making theories where flying saucers come from, since there is no proof that these 'flying saucers' exist in the first place. The same is true for the paranormal. Until it is proven that paranormal effects truly exist, there is no need for an explanation of them.

Other anomalous phenomena verge into the fringes of what is known as pathological science, such as cold fusion; while there are some serious competent scientists researching the phenomenon, there are also many less competent, biased cranks, and even cultists.

Written works

Classical civilization included unique signs and prodigies of nature in works of paradoxography such as The Phaenomena (240 BC) by Aratus of Soli.

William R. Corliss' Science Frontiers has covered reports in the scientific literature regarding anomalies for years. He, through his Sourcebook Project, has published a large body of reports collected in many of the scientific disciplines.

Charles Fort, in his four works on anomalies, lambasted and ridiculed the scientists of his day for their short-sightedness. Some of the anomalies listed in his work have been explained and incorporated into modern science, while others continue to be unexplained.

Leonard George, a psychologist who specializes in anomalous phenomenon, compiled an authoritative encyclopedia of unusual experiences, activities, and beliefs in his 1995 book, Alternative Realities.

The Fortean Times, a British monthly magazine, continues in the spirit of Fort's work by publishing reports of anomalous phenomena and longer investigative articles.

The Anomalist, edited by Patrick Huyghe and Dennis Stacy, is another magazine/journal devoted to the study of anomalies (which may be called anomalistics).

See also List of magazines of anomalous phenomena.

Quotations

• If you see a two-headed pig, keep your mouth shut.

--Irish proverb

See also

• occultism
• unidentified flying object
• conspiracy theory
• Society for Psychical Research
• Spiritualism
• paradoxography
• Oliver Sacks
• Bermuda Triangle
• Marfa lights
• Hessdalen lights
• Min Min lights

External links

• The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
• About.com: Paranormal Phenomena
• The Randi paranormal Challenge
• Anomalist
• Boundary Institute
• Ingo Swann's Biomind website
• Fortean Times
• Science Frontiers
• Mr. X's Website
• INFO International Fortean Organization
• A taxonomy of paranormality
• Peet's Paranormal Notebook
• Paranormal Forums

Further reading

• Handbook of Unusual Natural Phenomena:Eyewitness Accounts of Nature's Greatest Mysteries, William R. Corliss, Anchor Press, Doubleday, 1983, trade paperback, 423 pages, ISBN 0-385-14754-6
• Remote Viewing Secrets, Joseph McMoneagle, Hampton Roads, 2000, paperback, 296 pages, ISBN 1-57174-159-3
• The Conscious Universe, Dean Radin PhD, Harper, 1997, hardback, 362 pages, ISBN 0-06-251502-0