Abstract: An experiment tested the hypothesis that water exposed to distant intentions affects the aesthetic rating of ice crystals formed from that water. Over three days, 1,900 people in Austria and Germany focused their intentions towards water samples located inside an electromagnetically shielded room in California. Water samples located near the target water, but unknown to the people providing intentions, acted as ''proximal'' controls. Other samples located outside the shielded room acted as distant controls. Ice drops formed from samples of water in the different treatment conditions were photographed by a technician, each image was assessed for aesthetic beauty by over 2,500 independent judges, and the resulting data were analyzed, all by individuals blind with respect to the underlying treatment conditions. Results suggested that crystal images in the intentionally treated condition were rated as aesthetically more beautiful than proximal control crystals (p ¼ 0.03, one-tailed). This outcome replicates the results of an earlier pilot test.

Abstract: Mediums claim to be able to report accurate and specific information about the deceased loved ones (termed discarnates) of living people (termed sitters) even without any prior knowledge about the sitters or the discarnates and in the complete absence of any sensory feedback. Despite recent experimental research investigating this phenomenon (e.g., Beischel & Schwartz, 2007a), no systematic qualitative studies have been conducted. Consequently, eight research mediums were asked to describe in as much detail as possible how they personally experience receiving communication from a discarnate, as part of a comprehensive nine-step subject screening procedure. Thematic analysis revealed seven comprehensive constituent themes that were used to formulate a fundamental structural definition.

Abstract: Despite renewed interest in shamanic patterns of phenomenal prop- erties such as journeying imagery, these phenomena are neither well defined nor sufficiently understood. Consequently, we propose criteria pertaining to four necessary conditions for a visual mental image to qualify as a shamanic journeying image. Finally, we demonstrate how these necessary conditions may be used to extrapolate a scoring system that allows one to empirically test, via falsificationism, a visual mental image's ostensible shamanic status.

Abstract: Energy is the lifeblood of civilization, but inexpensive, high energy density sources are rapidly being depleted and their exploitation is severely degrading the environment. This paper explores a radical solution to this energy-environmental dilemma. In the last 10-15 years, the universality of the second law of thermodynamics has fallen into serious theoretical doubt (1-3). Should it prove experimentally violable, this would open the door to a nearly limitless reservoir of ubiquitous, clean, recyclable energy. If economical, it could precipitate paradigm shifts in energy production, utilization and politics. In this paper, recent challenges to the second law are reviewed, with focus given to one for which laboratory experiments are planned. Possible consequences of its violation for technology, society and the environment are explored.

Abstract: Bayesian probability theory can be helpful in organizing the multiple evaluations required in analyzing complex problems that involve the comparison of several hypotheses on the basis of several datasets. The problem of deciding the authorship of the Shakespeare literary material falls under this heading. We here discuss just one aspect of this major problem: whether or not the available evidence indicates that ''William Shakspere,'' of Stratford-upon- Avon, was a writer. We consider twenty-four known writers who lived in England at the same time as Shakspere. For each of these writers, and for Shakspere, we follow Price in considering whether or not there exists evidence in each of ten categories relevant to the literary profession. We find that there is evidence conforming to at least three categories for each comparison author, but none for Shakspere. We evaluate the probability, based on this information, that Shakspere was a writer similar to the twenty-four comparison writers. According to this analysis of Price's data, we find that there is only one chance in 100,000 that Shakspere was a writer. These considerations support the heretical view that Shakspere was not the author of the Shakespeare material. It is generally - but not universally - assumed that the plays and poems asso- ciated with the name ''Shakespeare'' were written by a man who was born and raised, and died and was buried, in Stratford-upon-Avon in the county of Warwickshire in the West Country of England, ninety miles northwest of London. For recent accounts of the orthodox ''Stratfordian'' position, and for references to supporting material, one may refer for instance to Bryson (2007) and Honan (1998). The available records refer to the ''Stratford'' person variously as ''Shackespere,'' ''Shackspeare,'' ''Shackspere,'' ''Shagspere,'' ''Shakespere,'' ''Shakespre,'' ''Shakspare,'' ''Shakspeare,'' ''Shaxper,'' ''Shaxpere,'' and ''Shexpere,'' as well as ''Shakespeare.'' It is convenient to follow Price (2001) in referring to the man from Stratford as ''Shakspere,'' reserving the name ''Shakespeare'' for

Abstract: Studies have found that shamanic practices are associated with statistically significant reductions in mood disturbance relative to baseline. However, contrary results were obtained for non-shamanic practitioners exposed to shamanic-like techniques. These inconsistent results may be partially due to a personality trait referred to as schizotypy, which has been demonstrated to influence susceptibility to shamanic-like techniques. Furthermore, given that an integral feature of shamanism is the production of altered states of awareness and altered experiences, and that shamanism is associated with health benefits, perhaps the production of such alterations affects health benefits. Consequently, the present study aimed to investigate whether altered state of awareness and altered experience mediated the association between schizotypy and mood disturbance during exposure to a shamanic-like condition. Sixty-nine non-shamans were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: shamanic-like journeying with drumming or sitting quietly with eyes open. Total mood disturbance-change was significantly negatively correlated with schizotypy and altered experience -- but not altered state of awareness -- and these correlations were significantly stronger for the shamanic-like journeying condition relative to the control condition. Furthermore, altered experience significantly mediated the association between schizotypy and total mood disturbance-change during exposure to shamanic-like journeying.

Abstract: Most people familiar with the work of Ian Stevenson associate him with his groundbreaking investigations of children who claim to remember previous lives. But Stevenson was also a pioneer in the study of what have come to be called near-death experiences, or NDEs, the transcendent or mystical experiences that occur among many people who have come close to death or have even suffered an apparent clinical death during a severe illness or accident but who then recover or are resuscitated or escape serious injury.