A BRIEF PSYCHOKINETIC INVESTIGATION OF MR. URI GELLER

Original to Miss M Toyofuku, Kadima Productions

copies to: Brendan O’Regan

E.W. Bastin

T.J. Scott.

J.B. Hasted, D.J. Bohm, E.W. Bastin, and D. O’Regan

Birkbeck College (University of London)

Following a previous meeting, Mr. Geller visited the physics laboratories of Birkbeck College on 21st and 22nd June, 1974, and a number of observations were made by us in the presence of several responsible scientists and other witnesses. Metal keys and other objects were bent as far as we were able to observe, without the application of the necessary force, and pulses of what appear to have been electromotive force were produced by Mr. Geller.

We possess four numbered and weighed brass Yale keys which were bent through angles of between 10 and 40 degrees under light stroking action by Mr. Geller. If, under symmetrical four point loading, force pulses of the order of 500 N (Say 50 kg weight) had been applied to the keys, similar bends would have been produced. No loss of surface brightness or change of weight, within the experimental error of 1 mg was observed. Mr. Geller applied a light stroking action between forefinger and thumb, or by forefinger with key placed on the table. In all cases several witnesses watched the entire operation intently from within 1m. In one case the key was not stroked but was simply, held under a cold water tap. In all cases the bending took a time of the order of minutes to complete, and it usually appeared to continue slowly for a short while after the stroking had, been terminated. No physical or chemical explanation of these Phenomena is readily apparent. The mean grain size at the bent surfaces has been compared with that in unbent and mechanically bent specimens by X-ray reflection and electron micrograph. No significant change in grain orientation or size was noted.

A 30 degree bend developed in a 1 cm diameter disc of monocrystalline molybdenum of thickness 0.32 mm. Mr Geller did not touch the disc, which was laid on a table with about ten other metal specimens; a witness placed his open hand on top of the objects, and Mr. Geller laid his own hand on that of the witness, who reported a tingling sensation. Mr. Geller was not asked specifically to bend this specimen rather than the others on the table.

Since it was reported to us that Mr. Geller had caused an increase in the cosmic ray background count rate of a Geiger counter, he was given a nuclear radiation monitor to hold, and was asked to think of nuclear explosions. This monitor consists of a Geiger counter partially surrounded by a stainless steel screen which acts as return path for the electrical circuit. The gamma radiation background count rate in this laboratory was about 0.5 counts/sec. The counter is normally connected by screened cable to an amplifier. The output of the amplifier was connected to Harwell 2000 series ratemeter and chart recorder. During a total period of about 10 min eight pulses of duration of the order of a second were recorded, some of then of magnitudes corresponding to more than 50 counts/sec. However the radiation monitor loudspeaker clicking, which was recorded on magnetic tape, did not always accelerate during the chart-recorded pulses, nor did a second radiation monitor record clicks consistently. Moreover, two of the chart-recorded pulses corresponded in time to recorded pulses of a magnetic field at a fluxgate magnetometer about 1m distant from the counter. (In another experiment Mr. Geller was able on one occasion to deflect violently a compass needle held in his hand, at the same time producing a chart-recorded pulse of magnetic field at the magnetometer head).

Mr. Geller held the Geiger counter screen continuously in his during the recordings; the recorded pulses were not associated with any appreciable bodily movement, nor, of course, could pulses be produced by other subjects.

The least unorthodox hypothesis with which these observations are consistent is that Geller could by concentration produce occasional and rather unpredictable, pulses of electromotive force across metal conductors. These pulses are of course much larger than normal static electricity. This model of radiation monitor will, it was found by experiment, respond in a similar manner when a 7OV dry battery is shorted across the stainless steel screen which surrounds the Geiger counter and forms part of its electrical circuit.

Continued experiments are planned.