NEWS AND COMMENT

Brain Neuroimaging Experiments Find ‘Evidence against Existence of Psi’ . . . or Do They?

KENDRICK FRAZIER precognition exist. They made minimal paid volunteers, thirty-two people total. assumptions about psi and think they Some were couples, some emotionally Can imaging of the brain help resolve have offered the broadest possible test of close roommates or friends. There was the debate over whether psi exists or not? the psi hypothesis. one mother-son pair, one pair of sisters, Two researchers at Harvard University The researchers used sixteen pairs of and two identical twin pairs. Fourteen think it can, and in fact they have now published neuroimaging results that they say “are the strongest evidence yet ob tained against the existence of para- normal mental phenomena.” The researchers note that despite widespread public belief in paranormal mental phenomena such as telepathy or mind-reading, also known as psi, “there is not compelling evidence that psi exists.” Among academic scientists, psychol- ogists especially tend to be skeptical of reports of psi, particularly the anecdotal kind that impress people unaware of all the psychological biases that allow them to so easily misinterpret evidence: the clustering illusion, availability error, confirmation bias, illusion of control, and many others. But if psi processes do exist, they are a mental activity, and there should be some way to detect that activity in the brain by modern neuroimaging techniques. Samuel T. Moulton and Stephen M. Kosslyn of the Harvard Psychology Department feel strongly that with sophisticated neuroimaging techniques, psychology is in a position to advance the psi debate, which in the past “has produced more heat than light.” They set up experiments using functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) of the brain to try to document the exis- tence of psi. They wanted to see if the brain might respond selectively to purported psi stimuli. By “psi stimuli” they mean stimuli presented not through the usual senses but telepathically (mind to mind), clairvoyantly (world to mind), and pre- Can brain neuroimaging help resolve the psi debate? Psi (top) and non-psi (bottom) stimuli evoked cognitively (future to present). They widespread but indistinguishable neuronal responses in the brains of test subjects. Images courtesy of designed the experiment to produce pos- S.T. Moulton and S.M. Kosslyn, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (20:1). itive results if telepathy, clairvoyance, or

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May / June 2008 5 NEWS AND COMMENT were men, eighteen were women. “The results support the null hypoth- study. They praised it, but think psi Each pair designated one of its mem- esis that psi does not exist,” report supporters will readily argue around its bers as “sender” and one as “receiver.” Moulton and Kosslyn in the Journal significance. The test stimuli consisted of 240 pairs of Cognitive Neuroscience (20:1, 2008). “I think this is an interesting ap proach of unique photographs covering a range “The brains of our participants—as a but find it difficult to think that this rep- of content, from emotionally negative group and individually—reacted to psi resents ‘the strongest evidence yet obtained pictures (a snake, a dead body, a violent and non-psi stimuli in a statistically against the existence of paranormal mental scene) to neutral and positive pictures (a indistinguishable manner.” The results phenomena,’” says Richard Wiseman of the tissue box, a wedding, an erotic couple). cannot be explained by a lack of statis- University of Hertfordshire, U.K. “The They randomly assigned each picture to tical power, they say. “Even if the psi procedure used in the study—one person a stimulus category (psi, non-psi) and effect were very transient, as are many looking at a picture and sending it to ensured that across participants each mental events, it should have left a foot- another—does not really map onto some picture was assigned to each category an print that could be detected by fMRI.” of the types of telepathy experiments that equal number of times. The researchers say they went out proponents claim yield reliable evidence The receiver’s head was placed in a of their way to incorporate variables for ESP. In remote-viewing studies, for high-speed magnetic resonance scanner, example, the receivers are usually very and a series of forty-eight trials for each carefully selected on the basis of past volunteer pair began. The sender of each The test stimuli performance, and in ganzfeld studies the pair, in a separate room, was signaled consisted of 240 pairs receivers are placed in a mild altered state to sequentially view the images for ten of consciousness. However, it is an inno- to twenty-two seconds and then to try of unique photographs vative piece of work, and it would be great to “influence the receiver” with the psi covering a range of to see the MRI approach employed to test stimulus (“sending” one image). They the claims made by parapsychologists.” were asked to adopt a “playful” attitude, content, from emotionally James Alcock of York University, Tor- maintain an active interest in the stim- onto, was not too optimistic. “Given the uli, and use whatever “sending” tactics negative pictures way that psi has traditionally been defined, they deemed appropriate. (In this they (a snake, a dead body, a as a phenomenon that is not subject to the were following the advice of parapsy- rules that we have discovered for the mate- chology researchers who believe certain violent scene) to neutral rialistic world, then this study does nothing attitudes are conducive to psi.) and positive pictures to provide evidence against the existence of The receiver was presented a pair of psi; it only fails to find evidence to support photos (projected onto a mirror attached (a tissue box, a wedding, its existence. It is not different in principle to a head coil) and then told to press a but- an erotic couple). from a physicist using high-tech equipment ton selecting which one he or she felt was to detect an energy field during a psi exper- the psi stimulus. The receiver then viewed iment. While the physicist might find fail- the psi stimulus a second time to account ure to detect any energy as ‘strong evidence for the possibility of precognition. (biological relatedness of participants, against psi,’ failure to detect the field would One set of results showed the partic- evoca tive stimuli) widely considered by not be surprising to parapsychologists, for ipants performed almost exactly as they parapsychologists to help facilitate psi. this would simply serve to demonstrate would by chance on the guessing task. As such, “the current null results do that psi, if it exists, does not involve known Out of 3,687 recorded responses, the not simply fail to support the psi hypothe- energy fields. . . . receivers correctly guessed the psi stim- sis: They offer strong evidence against it.” “You can’t take a concept like psi, ulus 1,842 times (50.0 percent). Their overall goal was to develop and which is claimed to exist independently But the key results were the comparison test a new way to empirically address the of the physical world—hence, precogni- of brain activation for psi stimuli versus psi hypothesis using the technologies of tion: no fall off of signal strength with non-psi stimuli. The researchers looked modern cognitive neuroscience. They distance, etc.—and then argue that you for anatomical locations across the brain think the method has much to offer have found evidence against it because it that responded differently to these stimuli researchers who wish to investigate fur- doesn’t fit with our knowledge of how for the entire group and for each individ- ther the possible circumstances in which the physical brain works!” ual recipient. Analysis of the group data psi might or might not exist. revealed “no evidence whatsoever of psi.” The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER asked two Kendrick Frazier is editor of the SKEPTICAL Psi and non-psi stimuli evoked widespread noted psychologists who frequently critique INQUIRER. but indistinguishable neuronal responses. psi research about the Moulton/Kosslyn

6 Volume 32, Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

thinking individuals will see through their vs. charade.” But Anonymous sees strength in numbers. In the last few months, a series of anti-Scien- you, your campaigns of misinforma- The “Internet War,” fought on cyber tology protests have taken place worldwide. tion, your suppression of dissent, your fronts, soon became IRL (Internet slang In an unpredictable sequence of events, the litigious nature, all of these things have for “in real life” or “not online”). February caught our eye. With the leakage of your has acquired a nem- latest propaganda video into mainstream 10, 2008, became an Anonymous interna- esis: the global, Internet-based “individual circulation, the extent of your malign tional day of protest. This date was signif- collective” known as Anonymous. Scien- influence over those who have come icant as the birthday of Lisa McPherson, tology is adept at silencing its lone critics, to trust you as leaders has been made a Scientologist who died in 1995 while but how will the group tackle a sizeable, to us. Anonymous has therefore in the care of Church members. These decided that your organization should ubiquitous, and faceless foe? be destroyed. For the good of your “Scien tology Raids,” a successful marketing Founded by author L. Ron Hubbard, followers, for the good of mankind, and misnomer, were nonviolent protests that Scientology purports to be a religion, but for our own enjoyment, we shall pro- took place in almost one hundred cities many call it a cult. But who or what is ceed to expel you from the Internet and worldwide, including London, Sydney, and Anonymous? With enigmatic slogans such systematically dismantle the Church of New York. I attended the demonstration Scientology in its present form. as “We are everyone, we are no one” and held outside the Church of Scientology in “We are Anonymous, we are Legion,” The video became a “call to arms” San Francisco to interview protesters for Anony mous can be loosely defined as a for Anonymous members but sparked the online skeptical program The TANK large, noncentralized, global Internet Vodcast (tankvodcast.wordpress.com/). community, mainly composed of highly This was an orderly, peaceful protest. computer-literate twenty-somethings. After all, the San Francisco constabulary The feud began in mid-January is accustomed to pro tests, and the pub- 2008 when a Scientology promotional lic is sympathetic. Widely advertised video featuring an erratic and fervent online, this was not a covert operation, Tom Cruise appeared on the Web site but many of the 200 attendees were. YouTube. As the video spread across Anony mous by name and nature, the the Internet, Scientology’s infamous protestors wore costumes, suits, wigs, legal representatives sought the removal and masks to “protect their identi- of the video, ostensibly as a violation ties,” fearing reprisal from the Church. of copyright law. Anonymous inter- Indeed, I witnessed Church members preted this as censorship and reputedly photographing the protest through retaliated with a distributed denial of windows and filming the event from service (DDoS) attack against scien- the building rooftop. A few ex-Scien- tology.org. (Basic ally, this over uses the tology members were in attendance resources of a Web site, in effect closing too, including Lawrence Wollershein, it down temporarily—although it has foun der of FACTnet.org, a re source for been argued that the site experienced a Members of Anonymous protest outside the Church of re covery from the abusive practices of Scientology in San Francisco. legitimate increase of traffic seeking the religions and cults. Cruise interview.) The protestors distributed informa- This was the catalyst, but the criticism from skeptics, including Mark tive flyers and carried posters with slogans battle is more long-standing. The suppres- Bunk er of Xenutv.net and Andreas Heldal- such as “Scientology Hates Freedom of sive activities of Scientology conflict with Lund of Operation Clambake (.net), Speech”; “Truth is Not Hate Speech”; the Anonymous ethos of free knowledge both critical resources on Scientology. “Science Rules. Scientology Does Not”; sharing and , and the two These seasoned activists were concerned “Bad Science Fiction Shouldn’t Cost 360k”; parties have clashed online—and in the that the group’s methods could be misin- “L Ron Hubbard: Prophet or Profiteer?”; courtroom—since the early 1990s. terpreted and potentially detrimental to the “Scientology: It’s only a Church on Paper”; Anonymous created , cause. Heldal-Lund warned, “Attacking and a youthful photo of Lisa McPherson an initiative with the ambitious objec- Scientology like that will just make them beside an autopsy shot with the caption tive of “bringing down the Church of play the religious persecution card. They “She took a Free Personality Test.” Scientology.” Anonymous issued an omi- will use it to defend their own counter Anonymous protested a range of issues nous computerized message on You Tube actions when they try to shatter criticism and encouraged people to think critically reproduced in part below: and crush critics without mercy. I believe about Scientology. In general, the pro- we are better than this cult and, face to testors questioned practices rather than Over the years, we have been watching face using democratic tools, most free and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May / June 2008 7 NEWS AND COMMENT beliefs. Their handouts questioned the tax Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, belief So far, the protests have generated negative exempt status of the Church, condemned systems that openly share their tenets. publicity for Scientology. However, the abuses, secrecy, aggressive recruitment tac- The protestors perceive Scientology most negative publicity still comes from tics, harassment of critics, litigiousness, and as a cult, not a religion. If Scientology within the Church itself. the irony of Hubbard as science fiction hadn’t been popularly reframed from re li- —Karen Stollznow writer turned guru. Protecting freedom gion to cult, the demonstrations might of speech was a major theme (playing be regarded as hate crimes. Signs urging Karen Stollznow has a PhD in linguistics from devil’s advocate, the DDoS attacks and drivers to “Honk if you hate Scientol- the University of New England, Australia. the goal of “expulsion of Scientology from ogy” could be construed as vilification. She is a lecturer, researcher, and investigator the Internet” contradict the free-speech In deed, Scientology did play the victimized of the pseudoscientific and paranormal living message). The crowd chanted the motto card, branding Anony mous members as in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is associate “Knowledge is free, religion should be “religious bigots,” “cyber terrorists,” and editor of The Skeptic (Australia). too” as Scientology was labeled a pyramid “domestic terrorists.” scheme that financially exploits its follow- Project Chanology continues with more ers; protestors compared it unfavorably to planned protests, petitions, and activities.

Sir Edmund Hillary, Explorer, Skeptic (1919–2008)

The conqueror of Mount Everest, Sir alleged to show the beast’s footprints were made from the goat-like serow. Edmund Hillary, who died January determined to be in one instance those The results of his investigation led 11, 2008, was a man of many famous of a bear, and in another the trail of a Hillary to conclude that the whole ex ploits. Less well known was a 1960 mountain goat. (For more on this, see Joe concept of the Yeti was nonsense and paranormal expedition he conducted in Nickell’s book, Entities, 1995.) that the creature existed only in legend. the best skeptical tradition. Hillary resolved to get to the bottom Mon ster buffs were angry, but Hillary’s Born in Auckland, New Zealand, on of the Snowman mystery. Among the prestige and background gave him cred- July 20, 1919, Hillary studied science and purposes of a 1960–61 expedition finan- ibility among scientific-minded people. mathematics at Auckland University c ed by World Book Encyclopedia to study After all, says Daniel Cohen (in his book College, later adopting a summer occu- high-altitude effects on climbers and Encyclo pedia of Monsters), “Sir Edmund pation, beekeeping, which allowed him other aspects of mountaineering, mete- Hillary, the great mountain climber, to pursue his winter avocation of moun- orology, and glaciology, Hillary added could hardly be criticized as being an tain climbing. In 1939, he reached the Yeti-hunting. The expedition in cluded armchair critic.” summit of his first major mountain, mammalogist Marlin Perkins (the late, —Joe Nickell Mount Olliver in the South ern Alps. In beloved host of television’s Wild King- 1953, with Sherpa guide Tenzing Nor- dom) and various physiologists, zool- Joe Nickell is CSI’s Senior Research Fellow. gay, Hillary conquered the world’s tall- ogists, mountaineers, and journalists. est peak, Mount Everest, for which he Hillary was determined either to docu- received worldwide acclaim, including ment or debunk the fabled creature. His knighthood. He subsequently climbed team searched the region and reviewed many other mountains, trekked overland evidence regarding the Yeti’s existence. to the South Pole (1958), and accom- The investigators came upon what panied astronaut Neil Armstrong in a appeared to be fox tracks in shaded ski plane that landed at the North Pole snow, but where these led into a sunny (1985). In addition, he devoted much of area they had melted and thus become his life to humanitarian efforts on behalf elongated into a semblance of large, of the Sherpa people of Nepal. human footprints. Hillary realized that Hillary gave other attention to his this phenomenon of melting and enlarg- be loved Himalaya mountains, including ing of tracks—such as those of a bear be com ing intrigued by persistent reports or snow leopard—could account for of the legendary man-beast of the region, many of the huge “Yeti footprints” the “Abominable Snowman” or Yeti. that had been photographed. The team Evidence for its existence has proved as analyzed various alleged Yeti relics with elusive as the creature itself. One famous consistently negative results. “Yeti fur” photograph of a Yeti turned out to be turned out to be from the rare Tibetan Sir Edmund HIllary, the first man to climb Mount that of a rock, while celebrated photos blue bear, and a “Yeti scalp” was a fur hat Everest, died at age 88. NEWS AND COMMENT

Darwin Day 2008: CFI/Los Angeles Stages Rare Reading of Steve Allen’s Meeting of Minds

With an enthusiastic standing-room- ible difficulty. als, and in 2006 more than sixty readers, only crowd of 180 attending, critically Darwin: (He laughs.) But, my dear including celebrity writers, filmmakers, acclaimed actors brought to life four woman, the real trouble did not come and artists, read aloud the entire Origin historical characters, including Charles about until after I had presented to the of Species at the Center for Inquiry/L.A. Darwin, through a rare staged reading world the idea that the common ances- With nearly half of Americans still of an episode of Steve Allen’s highly try of all living things includes man. doubting evolution, next year’s 200th praised 1970s’ TV series, Meeting of After the hour-long play, CFI staff anniversary of Darwin’s birthday will be Minds. Held February 10, 2008, and popped champagne and passed out a great opportunity to demonstrate the staged in the round in the Steve Allen birthday cake to the crowd and actors. science of evolution worldwide. Theater at the Center for Inquiry/Los Jim Underdown, executive director of —Bob Ladendorf Angeles to celebrate Darwin’s Feb. 12 CFI/L.A., who made remarks about Dar- birthday, the teleplay featured Darwin, win Day to the crowd, led the cham- Bob Ladendorf is the chief operating officer Galileo, Emily Dickinson, and Attila pagne toast to Charles Darwin’s 199th of CFI/L.A. As a freelance writer, he co-au- the Hun discussing and debating their birthday at the reception. thored “The Mad Gasser of Mattoon” in ideas with “Steve Allen” as the moder- This revival of Meeting of Minds ator. was the brainchild of filmmaker Frank Portraying the characters were Oscar Megna, who directed the play, and Bob nominee Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, Ladendorf, CFI chief operations officer Medium Cool) as Galileo; Dan Lauria (The who co-produced the play with Diana Wonder Years) as Attila; Wendie Malick Ljungaeus, an award-winning journalist, (Just Shoot Me) as Emily; Nicho las Hosk- screenwriter, and producer. ing (Shakespearean actor) as Darwin; and Darwin Day is an international cel- Joseph Culp (Apollo 13) as Steve Allen. ebration of science and humanity. CFI “Brilliant” was the word Jayne Meadows, Centers and Community groups hosted Allen’s widow, used to describe the actors. speakers and programs for children this Meadows attended the show and spoke to year. Other groups held discussions or the crowd afterward about the play that showed films about evolution. Last year night and the struggle to bring Meeting for Darwin Day, Megna and Ladendorf of Minds episodes to TV. “And they per- co-wrote and staged an original one-act formed with just one rehearsal!” she added play, which is under further develop- Actress Jayne Meadows starred in many of her incredulously. ment, about the Scopes “monkey trial” late husband Steve Allen’s episodes of Meeting Steve Allen’s award-winning series and 2005 Dover Intelligent Design tri- of Minds. Photo credit: Rouslan Ovtcharov was a labor of love first developed in 1959. However, it took a decade to reach a Los Angeles public TV audience and another seven years to reach national ex posure in 1977. A total of twenty-four episodes were written by Allen, with some of the parts, such as Cleopatra, played and written by Meadows. Historians have acknowledged the accuracy of the ideas they im aginatively presented. At one point during the play staged in Los Angeles, Emily Dickinson (Malick) comments to Darwin (Hosking) that she knows his theories were criticized and got him into trouble: Emily: But what I don’t understand Critically acclaimed actors portrayed historical characters who discussed each other’s ideas and lives. They include (from left): Nicholas Hosking as Charles Darwin; Dan Lauria as Attila the Hun; Wendie is how such commonsense reasoning Malick as Emily Dickinson; and Robert Forster as Galileo. Not pictured is Joseph Culp as Steve Allen. could have gotten you into such incred- Photo credit: Rouslan Ovtcharov

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May / June 2008 9 NEWS AND COMMENT

Scientists say Nullo Modo (No Way) to Pope

When Marcello Cini, professor emeritus the Vatican’s meddling in Italian politics on of physics at the University of Rome La the issues of homosexual and reproductive Sapienza, heard that Pope Benedict XVI was rights. These groups planned demonstrations the invited speaker at La Sapienza’s academic to publicize their objections to Vatican poli- year inaugural ceremony on January 16, cies at Internet speed. The addition of gay and 2008, he wrote a remonstrating letter to the reproductive rights to the pro test radicalized university’s rector, Renato Guarini. Professor opposition to the pope’s ap pearance at La Cini also sent a copy to one of Rome’s major Sapienza. newspapers, il manifesto, which published it Rector Guarini’s response was the issu - on November 14, 2007. The letter listed a ance of a campus-wide ban on all demon- number of reasons why the pope was seen by strations during the pope’s visit. The students many as a symbol antithetical to the mission countered. They occupied the rector’s offices, of the university. hanging banners of protest out the windows. Historically, the honor of opening La Finally an agreement was reached between Sapienza’s school year is given to academics, Guarini and the students. The students not to religious leaders or politicians. La would be allowed to demonstrate but only A student shouts slogans against Pope Benedict XVI at La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy. Sapienza was founded as a Catholic college in a specified area away from the ceremonies, Pope Bene dict XVI cancelled a visit to Rome’s by Pope Boniface VIII in 1303, but it has and am plified sound was prohibited. In addi- La Sa pienza University following angry protests been a secular institution since 1870. Cini tion, only those holding university IDs would from science professors and students. [Photo via Newscom] raised the objection that inviting the pope to be allowed to enter the school during the open the academic year conferred the appear- pope’s presence, constraining the protest to decrying those who would not allow him ance of continuing papal involvement in the students and faculty. the constitutional right of free speech. Cini, affairs of the university. The letter also criti- Finally, the Vatican gave in. In its ANSA author of the letter that started it all, said: cized the pope’s public statements support- press release on January 15, 2008, it stated: “The pope now plays the victim.” ive of Galileo’s excommunication, intelligent “Following the widely noted vicissitudes of What a coup, but why? Italian politics is design, and the existence of reasoning higher recent days . . . it was considered opportune better understood if the country is viewed as than rational thought. to postpone the event.” two countries, not as one. One country was La Sapienza physicist Carlo Cosmeli read Pope Benedict XVI earned the nickname created by the unification of the Italian inde- Cini’s letter in il manifesto and agreed that “God’s Rottweiler” while a cardinal, and he pendent states in 1870. The second country is the symbolism of having Pope Benedict XVI has worn the sobriquet well as pope. For the Vatican—an almost two-thousand-year- open the academic year would besmirch the example, after giving a speech at Rosenburg old remnant of the Holy Roman Empire. university’s persona. Cosmeli composed his University in 2006 that inflamed the Muslim While the rest of Europe won autonomy own letter of protest to the rector. This letter world, the pope made a trip to Turkey. Mobs from the Holy Roman Emperor after the asked the rector to withdraw the invitation, of angry Turks were apparently less threaten- Thirty Years War in 1648, Italy has not been as the pope’s position on science “offends ing to the pope than La Sapienza’s physicists. able to completely break free. Since World and humiliates us.” The letter was signed by Politicians, such as the president, prime War II, Italy has endured rapidly chang- sixty-seven members of La Sapienza’s science minister, and mayor of Rome, as well as ing weak governments, a problem many faculty and personally delivered to the rector Vatican spokespersons, condemned the La blame on papal meddling in politics. A bril- on November 20. “The letter was deliv- Sapienza faculty and students who cam- liantly insightful analogy by Peter Popham, ered to Renato Guarini personally and with paigned against the pope’s appearance at the published in Britain’s The Independent on discretion,” wrote Giorgio Parisi, the distin- school. Accusa tions were made that scientists February 26, 2007, puts it well: guished theoretical physicist, in an e-mail on and secularists were censuring His Holiness Imagine that Hitler did not die in his January 26, 2008. Parisi is one of the letter’s because the message he carried was too threat- bunker in 1945 but instead cut a deal with signatories. Nevertheless, a copy of the letter ening—the pope had to be silenced! The vicar the new West German government, giving found its way to the press, fueling the public of Rome, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, called for him continued sovereignty over a small controversy. Italians to show solidarity with the pope by patch of Berlin—and continued intellec- tual hegemony over the millions he had Cini’s letter in il manifesto served to herald coming to the Vatican to pray on Sunday, brainwashed during the previous decade. the pope’s visit to La Sapienza to the rest of January 20, and they did. Three hundred How could a new German dispensation Rome as well. Many students and others not thousand of the faithful crowded into Vatican function with this incubus at the heart of associated with the school objected fiercely to Square chanting support for the pope and the state, second-guessing its every move, checking and trumping every effort to

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May / June 2008 11 NEWS AND COMMENT

dismantle its ideology? by casting a no-confidence vote for Prodi. thesis pervading these stories. The participants Asked why, Binetti stated, “I do not support and theaters keep changing, but the heart of Only ten months before the pope was party discipline on such matters.” As reported the drama is still Galileo Galilee standing trial invited to La Sapienza, the government of in on January 5, 2008, before his accusers. Prime Minister Romano Prodi was almost Binetti is a celibate senior member of Opus toppled because of the po sition that it took —Frank Reiser Dei who openly admits to wearing a cilice. A against the Vatican. Prodi restored his coali- cilice is similar to a piece of chain link fence Frank Reiser is in the department of tion government only after abandoning his with added spikes. It is worn around the thigh bio logy at Nassau Community College, Garden sup port for a law allowing civil unions (a law as a painful reminder of Christ’s suffering. City, New York. found in all other European countries except Binetti’s defection from the majority coa- Poland). lition was an insurmountable blow to the As the La Sapienza controversy hit the prime minister, and on January 24, 2008, headlines, Prime Minister Prodi’s govern- Romano Prodi re signed. The collapse of the ment was again teetering on the edge of government was front-page news in Italy’s collapse. This time a Vatican-backed revi- newspapers, which were still reporting on the sion restricting Italy’s abortion law was at three hundred thousand who turned out to issue. The crisis occurred when senator Paloa support the pope in his conflict with the sci- Binetti, from one of Prodi’s supporting politi- entists at La Sapienza. A philosophically cog- cal parties, split from the other party members nizant reader could not ignore the common

NASA’s Mysterious ‘Man the famous “Jesus in the Tortilla”). Examples look exactly like the rocks and boulders that are all around us; in fact, if you have a New Spirit has been photographing for years. on Mars’ Photo Hampshire state quarter, you have an exam- This is of course not the first time that The idea that there may be life on Mars has ple of pareidolia in your pocket or purse (take NASA images reportedly showed evidence of been around for centuries, but the theory a look). Martian life. Richard Hoagland claimed that got a boost from photos taken by the NASA Strong evidence for this psychological 1976 photographs of the Cydonia region of robot Spirit. The images, taken in 2004 and Mars showed a human-like face and was released in January 2008, show a vaguely clear evidence of aliens. The “Face on Mars” humanoid figure amid rocks on the Martian was eventually disproved by later Mars landscape. It’s not clear from the image Global Surveyor photographs of the same what the scale is, and some believe it is a region in far higher resolution than was human. The “man on Mars” suggestion possible in 1976. started out as a joke on a blog but soon According to astronomer Phil Plait of became an international story as conspiracy the Bad Astronomy Web site, if the image theorists took hold. A headline in U.K.’s really is of a man on Mars, he’s awfully Daily Telegraph read, “Bigfoot on Mars? small: “Talk about a tempest in a teacup! NASA Captures Alien Figure.” However The rock on Mars is actually just a few far-fetched the explanations, the photo does inches high and a few yards from the cam- NASA’S Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured this west- era. A few million years of Martian winds show an image that could be interpreted as ward view from atop a low plateau where Spirit spent a human form. But what is it? the closing months of 2007. Several bloggers and other sculpted it into an odd shape, which hap- It’s hard enough to accurately recognize enthusiasts have pointed to a tiny structure (red circle) on pens to look like, well, a Bigfoot! It’s just figures and faces across a room. Mars, the Martian surface as a human figure and thus evidence our natural tendency to see familiar shapes of life on Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell University depending on when you measure it, is about in random objects.” 35 million miles away. The best telescopes Even though logic and science suggest aren’t of much help in determining surface explanation lies in the fact that the Spirit that the image is of a rock and not an ani- features, and that’s why NASA sent robots image does not look like Martian life (since mal, UFO buffs and conspiracy theorists will with cameras to Mars. we don’t know what life on Mars looks like), continue to speculate. Wouldn’t it be ironic The reason many people see a figure on but instead resembles life here on Earth—spe- if the figure on Mars was actually a man in a the Martian landscape is the same reason cifically human life. The image is the result Bigfoot costume? that people see faces in clouds, Rorschach of human interpretation. If you look at the —Benjamin Radford blots, and coffee stains. This phenomenon, entire image (not just the close-up), you will called pareidolia, is well known in psychol- find several rocks and features that resemble Benjamin Radford is managing editor of the ogy, and it is the cause of many supposedly non-human Earth life, such as armadillos and SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. mysterious and miraculous events (including snakes. For all we know, life on Mars could NEWS AND COMMENT

How to Study Reincarnation: Guidelines for Research

Is there a way to empirically study claims of In the first phase, a videotaped inter- for success is not that the child scored reincarnation to satisfy scientific standards, view by a trained professional must be 12 hits out of 20 descriptors, but that producing results that might be accepted made of the child’s testimony. Specific the number of hits for the designated by a broader segment of the scientific com- statements about the purported previ- household and village is significantly munity? Reincarna tion researchers, such ous life must be elicited (for example, higher than the number of hits for the as the late Ian Stevenson and others, have “How old was your younger brother?”). control household and village.” long tried to examine the veracity of the These statements must be empirically In the fourth phase, the project direc- testimony of children who seem to have verifiable and specific enough to rule tors must collect and assess the findings some knowledge of a previous life. out chance or just common knowledge. from groups A, B, and C. To start with, But there are many weaknesses with the current methods used by parapsy- chologists to study reincarnation claims even though they produce a wealth of information. Most cases, for instance, “A strong case for reincarnation would require emanate from countries where there is that each and every phase of the research a strong cultural belief in reincarnation. Separating out the effects of cultural were conducted without flaw.” belief and experimenter expectation to receive an untainted interpretation is extremely difficult. Two researchers have now collab- orated on a paper published in the In the second phase, a group of they have to determine whether the first De cem ber 2007 Journal of Consciousness train ed professionals must look at the group conducted a proper interview. Studies (Vol. 14, No. 12) that suggests a data collected from the child and make They determine whether the second set of guidelines for conducting reincar- a critical evaluation of the interview as group adequately addressed all possible nation research. The paper, “Setting Cri- well as of all possible information about natural sources of information. They teria for Ideal Reincarnation Research,” the life history of the child. This group decide whether the third group collected is noteworthy not just for its specific sug- must be trained in psychiatric inter- the relevant information from the alleged gestions but for the fact that it follows viewing to discover any discrepancies past-life site and the control site. Then up on frequently heard suggestions by in the interview. A full analysis of the the results must be analyzed statisti- cally. The authors give numerous specific skeptics and others: in such controversial interview, including the possibility of guidelines and formulas for that analysis. research areas a doubter and a believer either normal or paranormal knowledge “A strong case for reincarnation would, should together devise formal research reception, should be presented. This on this model, require that each and every methods and agree ahead of time on how group must also prepare a list of twenty phase of the research were conducted experiments should be conducted. de scriptors that can be checked and a without flaw,” say Edelmann and Bernet. One author, William Bernet, director definition of a “hit.” “Such a result has yet to emerge,” of the Vanderbilt University Forensic A third group of investigators must they write, “for none of Stevenson’s, Psychiatry unit, tells the SKEPTICAL be sent to the location of the child’s sup- [Erlendur] Haraldsson’s, or [Antonia] INQUIRER that he characterizes himself as posed previous life to investigate data. Mills’ cases involve this large collabora- a “moderate skeptic” and his co-author, This group has no access to the child or tive effort. But the work by these inves- Jonathan Edelmann (Oxford, theology), his recorded statements, preventing any tigators provides a rationale for further as a “moderate believer in reincarna- influence on their work. They conduct research into reincarnation” and, they tion.” Bernet thinks their paper is a good interviews and take photographs. They say, “has implications for our under- example of how a believer and a skeptic must also visit a nearby control house- standing of mind, memory, and con- can collaborate together. hold, designated by the second group, sciousness.” The protocols they suggest are too without knowing which house is the “Although ideal reincarnation re- de tailed to present here except in outline, control and which is the “real” one. Say search has not yet occurred,” Edelmann but they involve four distinct phases: Edelmann and Bernet: “The criterion and Bernet conclude, “it is in principle

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May / June 2008 13