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Old News: 2020

Recent News

1 October 2021:
In Publication Search, added two PsyArXiv preprints from September 2021.

30 September 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Books:
- Malcolm Smith, Apparitions: Tulpas, Ghosts, Fairies, and even Stranger Things (2021)
  The author has summarised the contents of the book in a blog post
- Martin Shough with Wim van Utrecht, Redemption of the Damned, Volume 2: Sea and Space Phenomena (2021)
  This book is reviewed by John Rimmer at Magonia Review. It and the preceding volume in this series re-evaluating the works of Charles Fort, are also discussed in a blog post by Bill Chalker
Published papers and preprints:
- The German version of a retroactive priming task shows mixed effects by M. Wittmann, F. Scheck, J. Feldmann, A. Glaesmann, J. Mossbridge and D. Bem - Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, Advance online publication (abstract only)
- Beyond IIT: (how) can we model the evolution of consciousness? by Adrian Kent (preprint at PsyArXiv)
  The author is Professor of Quantum Physics at the University of Cambridge, and discusses the hypothesis that the physical dynamics operating in the brain can be directly modified by "qualia" (which reflect mental activity).
Periodicals:
- Issue 47 of EdgeScience, the online magazine of the Society for Scientific Exploration, is now available
- Volume 13, issue 1, of Mindfield, the online magazine of the Parasychological Association, is now available to members
- Issue 2 of Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research is now available to members
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Francis Bacon and the Occult by Andreas Sommer
- Shanti Devi (reincarnation case) by K. M. Wehrstein
- George Zorab by Melvyn Willin
- Lawrence LeShan by Melvyn Willin
- Blackmore-Sargent Controversy - A Reconsideration by Chris Roe
- Gilbert Murray Telepathy Experiments by Melvyn Willin and Robert McLuhan
Online articles and blog posts:
- Robert Epstein, Your Brain Is Not a Computer. It Is a Transducer (Discover magazine)
  An article by a prominent academic psychologist advocating the investigation of neural transduction theory (though expressing scepticism about psi).
- Chris French, Why I now believe parapsychology is a science not a pseudoscience (The Skeptic)
Obituary:
- Lisette Coly, And the Ride Continues ... (Parapsychology Foundation, Inc.)
  Reflections on the late Carlos S. Alvarado

28 September 2021:
In Publication Search, added Journal of Scientific Exploration, volume 35, number 3 (2021).
This includes three commentaries concluding that Alejandro Parra, a former president of the Parapsychological Association, has been guilty of serious plagiarism and scientific dishonesty.

24 September 2021:
In Publication Search, added a study registration at the Koestler Parapsychology Unit Study Registry:

Retrocausal cueing: Investigating retrocausal influences in cued action , by Jordan Wehrman

7 September 2021:
In Publication Search, added Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, volume 85, number 2 (April 2021).

4 September 2021:
In Publication Search, added Mindfield Articles Relevant to Parapsychology in Journals of Various Fields, from Volume 12, Issue 1. (Note that the Parapsychological Association has kindly given permission for these lists to be included here for issues published more than a year ago.)

31 August 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Published papers and preprints:
- Factors Moderating the Impact of After Death Communications on Beliefs and Spirituality by Jennifer K. Penberthy, Marieta Pehlivanova, Tevfik Kalelioglu, Chris A. Roe, Callum E. Cooper, David Lorimer and Evelyn Elsaesser - OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (2021)
Article in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Katsugoro (reincarnation case) by M. Ohkado
Online articles and blog posts:
- "Red Pill Junkie", in The Secret of Dr. Grinberg: Documentary Explores Mysterious Disappearance of Telepathy Researcher, reviews a recent film, "El secreto del Dr. Grinberg" (The Secret of Doctor Grinberg), directed by Ida Cuéllar, about the Mexican parapsychologist Jacobo Grinberg-Zylberbaum and his disappearance in the 1990s
Obituary:
- A grateful note on the life of Carlos S. Alvarado and the kindness of those who miss him, by Nan Zingrone

6 August 2021:
In Publication Search, added a study registration at the Koestler Parapsychology Unit Study Registry:

A telephone telepathy study: Does genetic relatedness influence psychic abilities?, by Helané Wahbeh

31 July 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Published papers and preprints:
- Qualitative analysis of first-person accounts of noetic experiences by Helané Wahbeh, Nina Fry, Paolo Speirn, Lutvija Hrnjic, Emma Ancel and Erica Niebauer - F1000Research, 10, 497 (2021) (approved with reservations; open access)
- Collective Consciousness and Our Sense of Interconnectedness (Review Article) by Helané Wahbeh - Cardiology and Vascular Research, 5(1), 1-7 (2021) (open access)
- Stage 2 Registered Report: Anomalous perception in a Ganzfeld condition - A meta-analysis of more than 40 years investigation by Patrizio Tressoldi and Lance Storm - F1000Research, 10, 234 (2021) (awaiting peer review; open access)
Periodicals:
- Number 1 of Psychic Science Journal (an English language version of Diario de Ciencias Psiquicas) (July 2021)
- Volume 24, number 2, OF The Skeptical Intelligencer (Summer 2021)
- Archived copies of a wide range of older publications are available at Archives for the Unexplained. Recent additions include:
  - The Bent Spoon, a sceptical online magazine about the paranormal published between 2011 and 2015
  - Annals of the Enquiring, published between 1991 and 1996
- A forthcoming new periodical, the Journal of Anomalous Experience and Cognition, has been announced
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Anita Gregory by Melvyn Willin
- John Randall by Melvyn Willin
- Ryan Hammons (reincarnation case) by James G. Matlock
- Montague Keen by Melvyn Willin
- Jürgen Keil by K. M. Wehrstein
- Nina Kulagina by K. M. Wehrstein
- Carlos S. Alvarado by Michael Duggan and James G. Matlock
Video/audio:
- Randy Liebeck, Psychical Research in the USA (ASSAP)
  A survey of the past and current state of both experimental parapsychology and the investigation of spontaneous phenomena
- Jon Taylor, Human Intuition (Parapsychological Association, 2019 Convention)
Online articles and blog posts:
- Klaus Schmeh, in News from the afterlife - a blog post on cryptography and parapsychology
Forthcoming events:
- SPR 2021 Annual International Conference, via Zoom, 18 and 19 September. Timetable and registration information
Following the sad death of Carlos S. Alvarado, a number of tributes have been published, including:
- Nancy Zingrone, On Carlos S. Alvarado (1955-2021) (Carlos Alvarado's own Parapsychology blog)
- Renaud Evrard, Hommage à Carlos S. Alvarado (La légende de l'esprit
- Andreas Sommer, A Remedy for Historical Split Personalities: In Memory of Carlos S. Alvarado (1955-2021) (Forbidden Histories)
- Tom Ruffles, Dr Carlos Alvarado (1955-2021): An Appreciation

26 July 2021:
In Notes section, added:

18 July 2021:
In Publication Search, added Zeitschrift für Anomalistik, volume 21, number 1 (2021).

2 July 2021:
In Publication Search, added six PsyArXiv preprints from June 2021 (including three updates).

25 June 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Books:
- Everton de Oliveira Maraldi, Parapsychology and Religion (Brill, 2021)
The following periodicals have appeared:
- The Society for Scientific Exploration's magazine EdgeScience, issue 46
- The Boletín Electrónico de Parapsicología of the Instituto de Psicología Paranormal, volume 16, number 2 (in Spanish)
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Zofia Weaver by Melvyn Willin
- Walter Whately Carington by Melvyn Willin
- Etzel Cardeña by K. M. Wehrstein
- E. R. Dodds by Melvyn Willin
- William Salter by Melvyn Willin
- A. R. G. Owen by Melvyn Willin
- Brian Inglis by Melvyn Willin
- Robert Hare by Michael Tymn
- Sujith Lakmal Jayaratne (reincarnation case) by James G. Matlock
Video/audio:
- Parapsychology Round Table (Helen Blaby, BBC Radio Northampton)
  A continuing series of radio discussion programmes with the staff of the Centre for Psychology and Social Sciences at Northampton University:
  - 6: Intuition, part 1
  - 6: Intuition, part 2
- Interview with Dean Radin (Christopher Ryan)
- Daryl Bem (Rhine Video Library)

17 June 2021:
In Publication Search, added Journal of Scientific Exploration, volume 35, number 2 (2021).

2 June 2021:
In Publication Search, added two PsyArXiv preprints from May 2021 (one an update).

27 May 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Published papers and preprints:
- Deep Weird: High Strangeness, Boggle Thresholds and Damned Data in Academic Research on Extraordinary Experience by Jack Hunter - Journal for the Study of Religious Experience, 7(1), 5-8 (2021) (open access)
Periodicals:
- A new monthly electronic newsletter - the Notiziario Italiano di Parapsicologia (Italian Parapsychology Newsletter, in Italian) - has been announced on the Psi Report blog. It is freely available on request to the email address in the article.
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Kemal Atasoy (reincarnation case) by James G Matlock
- Everard Feilding by Melvyn Willin
- Arthur Koestler by Melvyn Willin
- Manfred Cassirer by Melvyn Willin
- Benson Herbert by Melvyn Willin
Video/audio:
- Parapsychology Round Table (Helen Blaby, BBC Radio Northampton)
  A continuing series of radio discussion programmes with the staff of the Centre for Psychology and Social Sciences at Northampton University:
  - 4: Research and Reputation
  - 5: Poltergeist
- Parapsychological Association video playlists:

7 May 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Published papers and preprints:
- Lawrence LeShan's Clairvoyant Reality as William James' Revelation of Veridical Reality by Jonathan Bricklin - Journal of Conscious Evolution, 17, article 1 (2021) (open access)
- The Hill Effect as a Test for Morphic Resonance by Rupert Sheldrake - sheldrake.org (open access)
- Neurons in the mouse brain correlate with cryptocurrency price: a cautionary tale by Guido Meijer - PsyArXiv (preprint; open access)
  Not a psi publication, but potentially relevant to psi. A short preprint illustrating a statistical artefact that can produce a spurious appearance of correlation between two time-varying signals that both evolve slowly over time. Three proposed remedies are tested - two of them work, but the third doesn't.
- Stage 1 Registered Report: Testing mediumship accuracy with a triple-blind protocol by Fernando Sinesio, Laura Liberale, Ines Testoni and Patrizio E. Tressoldi - F1000Research 10, 351 (2021) (awaiting peer review; open access)
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Ralph Noyes by Melvyn Willin
- Arthur Ellison by Melvyn Willin
- Near-Death Experiences - Paranormal Aspects by Titus Rivas
- Donald West by Melvyn Willin
Book reviews:
- It's Life And Death, But Not As You Know It!, by Tricia. J. Robertson (2021), reviewed by Ashley Knibb for the Society for Psychical Research
Video/audio:
- Parapsychology Round Table (Helen Blaby, BBC Radio Northampton)
  A continuing series of radio discussion programmes with the staff of the Centre for Psychology and Social Sciences at Northampton University:
Online articles and blog posts:
- Tom Ruffles, in The Society for Psychical Research at 100: Beyond the Threshold, reviews a BBC radio programme made in 1982 to mark the Society's 100th anniversay, and now available at YouTube.

5 May 2021:
In Publication Search, added Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, volume 85, number 1 (January 2021).

1 May 2021:
In Publication Search, added two PsyArXiv preprints from April 2021 (one an update).

16 April 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Books:
- Barbara Ensrud and Sally Rhine Feather, editors, J. B. Rhine, Letters 1923-1939: ESP and the Foundations of Parapsychology (McFarland, 2021)
- Eric Wargo, Precognitive Dreamwork and the Long Self (Inner Traditions, 2021)
  The theme of the book is discussed in a recent post on the author's blog
- Michael D. Gordin, On the Fringe: Where Science Meets Pseudoscience (Oxford University Press, 2021)
- Terry Keefe, Premonitions of the Titanic Disaster (Troubadour, 2021)
Periodical:
- The first issue of the new Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research (replacing the Paranormal Review) is now available to members online
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Windbridge Institute by Michael Duggan
- Windbridge Research Center by Michael Duggan
- Mary Rose Barrington by Melvyn Willin
- Signs of Reincarnation in Africa by James G. Matlock
Video/audio:
- Terje Simonsen, The Future of Parapsychology (Alex Tsakiris, Skeptiko)
Forthcoming events:
- 23 April, 2021: Jeffrey J. Kripal, The Superhumanities: What They Are and Why Parapsychology Is So Important to Them (an online invited address organised by the Parapsychological Association)
- 29 April, 2021: Julia Mossbridge, Precognition, time travel and consciousness (a lecture organised by the Swedish SPR)

9 April 2021:
In Publication Search, added a study registration at the Koestler Parapsychology Unit Study Registry:

Attitudes and Beliefs as Predictors of Psi Effects in a Pseudo-Gambling Task, by Lance Storm

2 April 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Published papers and preprints:
- Examining implicit beliefs in a replication attempt of a time-reversed priming task by Marilyn Schlitz and Arnaud Delorme - F1000Research, 10:5 (2021) (approved; open access)
- Registered Report: Anomalous perception in a Ganzfeld condition - A meta-analysis of more than 40 years investigation by Patrizio E. Tressoldi and Lance Storm - F1000Research, 10:234 (2021) (submitted; open access)
- Facing biology's open questions: Rupert Sheldrake's "heretical" hypothesis turns 40 by Alex Gomez-Marin - BioEssays, early view (2021) (accepted; open access)
Periodical:
- Number 45 of the Society for Scientific Exploration's online magazine EdgeScience is now available online.
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Guy Lyon Playfair by Melvyn Willin
- Maurice Grosse by Melvyn Willin
- Past-Life Memory and Amnesia by K. M. Wehrstein

1 April 2021:
In Publication Search, added two PsyArXiv preprints from March 2021 (both updates).

19 March 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Book:
- Stanley Krippner, Adam J. Rock, Harris L. Friedman and Nancy L. Zingrone, editors, Advances in Parapsychological Research 10 (2021) (McFarland)
  A collection of reviews of the current status of selected topics in parapsychology, covering recent critical assessments, mediumship, quantum theory and neuroscience, and psychic detection
Published paper:
- Genetics of psychic ability - A pilot case-control exome sequencing study by Helané Wahbeh, Dean Radin, Garret Yount, Michael A. Woodley of Menie, Matthew A. Sarraf and Marcela V. Karpuj - Explore, DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.02.014 (2021)
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Alan Gauld by Melvyn Willin
- Interethnic and Intercultural Reincarnation Cases by K. M. Wehrstein
- Loyd Auerbach by Michael Duggan
- Heartmath Institute by Michael Duggan
- John Poynton by Melvyn Willin
Video:
- The Presence of Consciousness in the World - In Conversation with Roger Nelson (Thanatos TV EN)

16 March 2021:
In Publication Search, added Journal of Scientific Exploration, volume 35, number 1 (2021).

5 March 2021:
In Publication Search, added Mindfield Articles Relevant to Parapsychology in Journals of Various Fields, from Volume 11, Issue 3. (Note that the Parapsychological Association has kindly given permission for these lists to be included here for issues published more than a year ago.)

5 March 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Book:
- K. S. Rawat and Titus Rivas, Reincarnation as a Scientific Concept: Scholarly Evidence for Past Lives (2021) (White Crow Books)
Preprint:
- Entanglement in Cognition violating Bell Inequalities Beyond Cirel'son's Bound by Diederik Aerts, Jonito Aerts Arguëlles, Lester Beltran, Suzette Geriente and Sandro Sozzo - ResearchGate
  This paper comes from the field of Quantum Cognition, in which cognitive processes are modelled by analogy to quantum processes. This formalism may (or may not) have relevance to psi phenomena.
Periodical:
- Volume 12, Issue 3 of the Parapsychological Association's Mindfield bulletin is now available to members online
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Marjorie Woollacott by Michael Duggan
- Emotion and Motivation Laboratory by Michael Duggan
- Pavel Stepanek by K. M. Wehrstein and Robert McLuhan
- Reincarnation and Karma by K. M. Wehrstein
Book review:
- Blithe Spirits: A History of the Poltergeist, by S. D. Tucker (2020), reviewed by Ted Dixon for the Society for Psychical Research

1 March 2021:
In Publication Search, added one PsyArXiv preprint from February 2021.

26 February 2021:
In Publication Search, added a study registration at the Koestler Parapsychology Unit Study Registry:

Retroactive priming of a compound remote associates task (CRAT) using pre-selected participants, by David Vernon and Malcolm Schofield

12 February 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Preprint:
- Long time-frame causally ambiguous behavior demonstrated in an optical system by Julia Mossbridge - ResearchGate, DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.26911.69282 - open access
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Jaytee (Pet Telepathy) by Robert McLuhan and K. M. Wehrstein
- Hafsteinn Björnsson (medium) by James G. Matlock
- Cottingley Fairies by K. M. Wehrstein
- Rakesh Gaur (reincarnation case) by K. M. Wehrstein
- Antonia Mills by K. M. Wehrstein
Videos:
- Dr Stephen Braude, The Veil of Stupidity (Alex Tsakiris, Skeptiko)
- Limitless Mind: A Live Stream Event with Russell Targ (New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove)
- Testing the ORCH OR Theory of Consciousness with Stuart Hameroff (New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove)
- Dr Irving Finkel, The First Ghost Stories (Archaeology Now)
  Presentation about beliefs and practices concerning ghosts and demons in ancient Mesopotamia.
Online articles:
- Patrick McNamara, A New Tool to Assess Possible Dream-Related Psi Phenomena (Dream Catcher blog, Psychology Today)

5 February 2021:
In Publication Search, added two study registrations at the Koestler Parapsychology Unit Study Registry:

The Effects of Imagery-Cultivation on Mood and Psi Performance, by Lance Storm
Darkness, Light and Numinosity in Remote Viewing Success, by Stanley Krippner and David T. Saunders

3 February 2021:
In Publication Search, added Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, volume 84, number 4 (October 2020).

2 February 2021:
In Publication Search, added three PsyArXiv preprints from January 2021 (all updates).

30 January 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Book:
- Erlendur Haraldsson, Towards the Unknown: Memoir of a Psychical Researcher (2021) (White Crow Books)
Published paper:
- When spirits speak: absorption, attribution, and identity among spiritualists who report "clairaudient" voice experiences by Adam J. Powell and Peter Moseley - Mental Health, Religion and Culture, DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1793310 (2021) - open access
Videos:
- Live Stream with Dean Radin (New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove)
- Time-traveling photons experiment - the conclusion! (Julia Mossbridge)
Online articles:
- Betony Adams and Francesco Petruccione, Do quantum effects play a role in consciousness? (Physics World)
- Wendy M. Grossman, Searching for Rigor: Caroline Watt (Skeptical Inquirer)

15 January 2021:
Recent items of interest online:

Preprint:
- Is Brain-Mind Quantum? A theory and supporting evidence by Stuart Kauffman and Dean Radin - arXiv.org
Periodical:
- Volume 16, number 1, of the Boletín Electrónico de Parapsicología (in Spanish), published by the Instituto de Psicologia Paranormal in Argentina, has appeared online.
Articles in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia:
- Brazilian Children Who Recall Previous Lives by James G. Matlock
- Carl du Prel by Andreas Sommer
- Max Dessoir by Andreas Sommer
Videos:
- Interview with Dean Radin on Researching Energy Medicine (Jeffrey Mishlove, New Thinking Allowed)
- Presentation by Moritz Dechamps on Observer Effects on Quantum Randomness, 2018 (Society for Scientific Exploration)
- Talk by David Luke on Psychedelics, Altered States and Exceptional Experience, 2021 (Society for Scientific Exploration)
Blog post:
- Greg Taylor, in The Twilight Zone Has Been Flooded with Shit, appeals for scepticism and responsibility in studying "fringe" topics, and quotes Voltaire's warning, "those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities" (Daily Grail)

1 January 2021:
In Publication Search, added Zeitschrift für Anomalistik, volume 20, number 3 (2020). Also added two PsyArXiv preprints from December 2020 (one updated and one new).