JOURNAL of the Society for Psychical Research
Volume 48 No. 770 December 1976
AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE VALIDITY
OF METAL-BENDING PHENOMENA
Introduction
During 1974-75, following the television appearances of Mr. Uri
Geller, an increasing number of subjects, mostly children, reported
the bending of metal objects by allegedly paranormal means. Our
involvement (1) with investigation of these phenomena has enabled
us to gain experience on the requirements necessary for validation
of paranormality.
Metal can be bent by force produced physically (mechanically),
or can bend spontaneously by the relaxation of internal stresses.
If bending can be proved to have taken place and these causes
can be precluded, then paranormal bending is validated. Since
spontaneous bending is slight, validation might at first appear
to be a simple physical problem of eliminating physical force.
It still appears to us to be reasonably simple, but the psychological
issues involved in the credibility are much more complex. In this
paper we discuss the physical and psychological issues which have
been encountered in our validation of these reports.
Most allegedly paranormal bending is achieved by the stroking
action of the fingers and thumb of one hand; but there are alleged
instances in which the metal is touched by no human hand at the
moment of bending; and other alleged instances in which the metal
is being held by a person other than the supposed subject.
One may also distinguish between the following reported events;
gradual bending, taking about five seconds minimum, to about two
hours maximum; sudden fracture of polycrystalline specimens or
cleavage of crystals; and the rare plasticization of the metal,
which is very difficult to validate.
The normal bending of a metal strip is brought about by loading,
most simply the three point load
, which produces a uniform cube-law
curvature, and the four point load
, in which the centre section
is free from stretching force. When the loading (stress) is light,
the deformation (strain) is elastic, and is proportional to the
load. When the loading is increased beyond the yield, the deformation
becomes plastic, that is to say, permanent rather than temporary.
Deformation progresses until work-hardening prevents further motion.
If the loading is sufficiently large, the work-hardening will
be insufficient to prevent fracture.
Newtonian mechanics indicates that if bending is observed it must
be accompanied by a force. Whether the bending is elastic or plastic,
a physical detection of strain should be possible, as will be
described below. It is possible that a normal internal stress
already exists within a polycrystalline metal specimen which has
been crystalised from a melt and rolled out into strip. This
can be demonstrated either by milling the strip sufficiently thin,
or by heating to a temperature close to the melting point; in
either case small deformations (~5°) can occur. Annealing
of a polycrystalline metal specimen, or the use of single crystals
ensures the avoidance of these effects.
The subjects whose alleged metal-bending abilities have been witnessed
vary greatly in their approach, and the effects produced also
show variations. Our experience has been gained with ten children
(6 boys, 4 girls), aged between 7 and 17, and with Uri Geller
himself. The establishment of rapport with adult subjects was
discussed in a previous paper (1), and the problem with children
is similar, being partly a matter of establishing rapport with
the parents, and partly of achieving good motivation of the child.
Since the desire and ability to bend metal does not usually come
on demand, the chance of observing phenomena is much larger in
the subject's home than if a visit is paid by the child to the
investigator's laboratory. The field work in the subject's home
can only be done if portable apparatus is prepared and if the
conditions in the home are suitable. The requirements necessary
for validation under discussion in this paper need not be jeopardised.
These requirements will be discussed under the headings of visual
observation and video-tape recording, chart-recording of physical
parameters, examination of specimens, "impossible" tasks,
and brittle metals.
We also think it necessary to discuss briefly the methods of trickery
by which paranormal bending might be simulated.
These can broadly be classified as the unobserved use of normal
force, the weakening of the specimen until observed normal force
produces bending, and the substitution of other specimens. An
important principle of a conjuring trick is that the event precedes
the observation. Thus, force can be used to bend a specimen when
the attention of the observers is momentarily distracted. When
the attention is re-focussed, the bent specimen is partially concealed
in the hand, and gradually revealed, the movement of the fingers
giving the illusion that bending is in progress.
A metal strip can readily be weakened by forcefully bending it
to and fro a number of times. It takes practice to estimate the
exact amount of bending required to weaken the strip sufficiently
for the subsequent trick to be adroitly performed. The surface
of a specimen which has been weakened in this way is usually visibly
recognizable by cracks or otherwise. It can, however, be covered
by holding between finger and thumb. If the specimen is then physically
bent until it breaks, the fracture is indistinguishable from most
fractures that have been produced allegedly paranormally. Other
methods of weakening require tools, heat or chemicals, and the
weakened section can be disguised with filling. These methods
can readily be detected by subsequent examination of the specimen.
Witnessing by visual observation and videotape
recording
The object of witnessing by visual observation and videotape recording
is to determine whether or not physical force has been entirely
responsible for the bending, and to determine whether the specimen
or any other object has been substituted at any moment.
Witnessing by visual observation is a deceptively simple exercise,
which requires careful preparation and practice to perform well.
The best number of witnesses is three or four; any more will introduce
cross-currents which distract the attention; the field of view
of each witness is also diminished. Fewer witnesses would certainly
ensure that the field of view of each was very large, but probably
larger than each could successfully watch. There should always
be more than one witness, since the chances of catching a momentary
sleight of hand are increased by using several. Attention should
be paid to the lighting (shadows minimized), to the background
surface, and to the avoidance of all distractions, whether originating
from the subject, from the witnesses, or externally. The maximum
time over which a really high standard of visual concentration
can be maintained by a witness is about two to three minutes.
If the event takes longer than this, then undoubtedly moments
of lapsed concentration will occur, increasing in frequency as
time proceeds, thereby increasing the probability that the concentration
of all witnesses will lapse simultaneously.
An important consideration is the width of field of view which
it is required to observe; it should not be larger than about
0.05 steradian, otherwise motions of the eyes become unsuitably
large. With chart-recorded experiments this presents problems,
since there are several widely separated points which must be
simultaneously watched. But the witnessing of bending of a metal
specimen held in the hand, or within inches of the hand, is much
simpler, since all that is necessary is to concentrate very hard
on a narrow field of view. A distance of about two to three feet
between the witnesses' eyes and the specimen enables the maximum
detail to be recognized without widening the field of view unduly.
When a specimen is held and stroked between fingers and thumb,
parts of the specimen are concealed from view by parts of the
hand. This screening is minimized when the witnesses view from
different angles and different heights. A three point load can
most easily be applied to a specimen, using one hand, by (i) the
ball of the thumb, (ii) the first or second joint of the forefinger,
and (iii) the base of the palm. The bend will then be centred
on the point of application of the forefinger. But if the specimen
is only about two inches long (e.g. a latchkey), then it is not
possible to apply a three point load in this way; instead, the
thumb and two fingers would be used; in this operation, much more
of the specimen is exposed to view. We have used latchkey specimens
for this reason. On occasions it has been noticed that paranormal
bending takes place beyond the end of the thumb and fingers, which
would be impossible under normal bending from a physical three
point load. When the bend is gradual, it is difficult to be certain
that there is no physical three point load throughout the time
of bend. But on one occasion a single crystal of zinc was stroked
between the fingers and thumb by a ten-year-old boy, under good
conditions of observation; an instantaneous cleavage was observed,
beyond the end of the fingers and thumb. The end of the crystal
dropped to the table, leaving the remainder of the crystal exposed,
projecting beyond the fingers and thumb. A sudden event of this
sort enables the witness to be certain that the position of cleavage
is not within the two outer loading points, and therefore, that
physical force of the fingers and thumb could not have caused
the cleavage.
An important task of the witnesses is to ensure that the intended
and identified specimen remains in view from the moment it leaves
the possession of the investigator until the moment it is returned
to him.
A controversial type of paranormal event which should be discussed
is the alleged softening or plasticization of metal. The author
has witnessed one such event with Uri Geller, under the following
circumstances. A stainless steel teaspoon, previously bent through
a small angle by a child subject, was offered to Geller as soon
as he arrived in the laboratory. On his grasping it by one end,
it immediately appeared to go soft and sag at the point of the
previous bend. Geller now took the other end in his other hand,
and bent the spoon to and fro. The author then took it from his
hands and with a gentle action continued the to and fro motion
for about thirty seconds.
This behaviour is different from that of a spoon which has been
weakened and can only be bent to and fro a very limited number
of times. We consider the witnessing of this event (by the author
and two other witnesses) to have been good, but the evidence of
several similar events is required before certainty of plasticization
can be recorded. We can, however, be certain that the event looked
quite different from the normal fracture of a weakened specimen.
Its description is given here in order to illustrate the importance
of the witness handling a specimen in such a condition.
A brief mention of witnessing by videotape must be made; its purpose
is twofold: to obtain records by means of which a physical event
can be studied repeatedly: and to obtain records to increase the
credibility of the investigator. Although the achievement of each
purpose is important, the temperamental nature of the metal-bending
ability is such that some investigators do without the luxury
of videotape recording for most of the time. It is important to
assign the correct priority, as between experimentation and "film
production", and to maintain a suitable proportion of each.
It is also a matter of experience that if the experimenter is
also cameraman, then he cannot also perform adequately as witness.
The technical operation - fields of view, lighting, panning, etc.
- occupies most of
his time.
Chart records
Chart records of metal-bending events are useful both for validation
and for study of the time dependence of bending phenomena. Internal
stress may be measured by a microtransducer such as a resistive
strain gauge, mounted inside the specimen. Since this will also
register signals arising from muscular force, an embedded resistive
strain gauge can only be used with the subject not touching
the specimen. A suitable instrument built in our laboratory
by Mr. N Nicola is detailed in Figure 1. A slot 9mm long x 1mm
wide x 5mm deep is milled in a latchkey and the strain gauge fixed
inside with epoxy resin; it should not lie on the neutral plane.
The attraction to the subject of this apparatus lies in the fascination
of the chart-recorded signals which can readily be produced by
bending the specimen elastically between the fingers. The sensitivity
of the chart-recorder is adjusted so that such signals are seen
to be of suitable size (Figure 2). Peaks produced by finger action
are about one second in duration (a), which can be regarded as
a time constant of application and relaxation of muscular force.
Peaks produced by dropping of weights on the cantilevered specimen
have rise time of about 50mili seconds (b,c), which is about the
limit of resolution of the chart-recorder. After a weak application
of force, the specimen returns to its previous configuration and
stress (b), since the deformation is elastic, and much weaker
than that required for plastic deformation. But after a sufficiently
strong force, some permanent deformation is noticeable (c). The
subject is asked to try to produce signals without touching the
specimen; he is watched, but if a flat latchkey is resting on
a flat surface, he would have to pick up the latchkey in order
to exert a three point load.
Some examples of the stress signals produced, without touching
the specimen, by subjects Andrew G (aged 11), David N (aged 9)
and Richard B (aged 12) are also shown in Figure 2. It is apparent
that the rise times of the peaks (e) are of the order of 200ms,
much shorter than the rise times of those produced by muscular
force. Thus to some extent the peaks are characteristic of the
physical shock waves produced by knocking the specimen with a
hard object. They are similar to, although weaker than, raps produced
by mediums, but if they were obtained on a suitable sounding board
or membrane only the strongest would be audible. Another type
of stress transient (f), is one in which the metal, although untouched,
is under stress for several seconds, and then returns to its previous
unstressed condition.
A necessity in stress chart-recording experiments is that in the
absence of the subject the chart should show a reasonably low
level of noise, and no transients of magnitude at all comparable
to those claimed to be produced paranormally by the subject. In
the present apparatus the noise level was usually two to three
orders of magnitude smaller than the signals, but in order to
eliminate electrical transients battery operation is valuable;
if ring mains electricity is used in a house, then the closing
of other switches (such as that of the refrigerator thermostat)
can cause transients. Attention must also be paid to the introduction
of transients by electrostatic charge. A clear run, free from
transients, of many minutes is necessary before the subject can
be introduced. On occasion, quiet periods of several hours have
been recorded before experimentation.
A complete record of the paranormal bending without touching of
a latchkey, by Nicholas W. during a session of 2 hours, is shown
in Figure 3. The latchkey was suspended by means of the electrical
connections, so that touching by hand would cause it to swing
to and fro. The absence of such motion, even during the final
bending, is some evidence that the paranormal forces are primarily
torque and not translational.
The stress signals were at first reluctant to appear, and because
of their small magnitude on the chart recorder sensitivity range
used in previous experiments (100mV), the sensitivity was increased
by a factor of 10 (10mV), so that thermal and other noise became
significant; the signals obtained were at first only a few times
larger than noise. When the signals eventually increased in magnitude,
the sensitivity was turned down by successive factors of ten (100mV,
1V, 10V); each time the signals continued to increase in magnitude
to produce measurable permanent deformation of the latchkey. During
the final period the latchkey was visibly bent, and the bending
continued after the conclusion of the chart record paper. The
bending angles, measured by careful handling and tracing onto
paper, were then + 10° 1° at 18.06hr, + 50° 1°
at 18.11 hr and + 12° 1° at 18.17 hr. The latchkey did
not appear soft or fragile, and until the next experiment there
was no further bending. The decrease in bending angle, although
unexpected, is in keeping with the ambipolar transient behaviour
in the final stages of recording. A photograph of the bent latchkey
appears in Figure 7.
The visual witnessing of this experiment was not highly concentrated;
in the early stages the steady trace of the chart recorder was
deliberately not watched, so that tension should not develop in
the subject. At no time, other than the manual tests, was the
subject seen to handle the latchkey. However, during the chart
recording he handled some items of cutlery, which bent into interesting
shapes without apparent manual force being used.
A feature of these chart records is the great variety of strain
transients that appear. They vary in magnitude and direction,
in rise time, in decay time, in frequency of occurrence, and in
fine structure. Considered from the point of view of validation,
the variety is valuable, because of the corresponding variety
of methods of production that is indicated.
A further programme of experiments on two simultaneously monitored
specimens has been completed, and will be described in a further
paper.
The method of simultaneous recording was also used by the author
in an investigation of the effect of Uri Geller upon a nuclear
radiation monitor (a Geiger counter). The output of a sensitive
gaussmeter was chart-recorded at the same time as the output of
the gamma-ray ratemeter, and simultaneous pulses (Figure 4) were
recorded by the passage of an electric current in the Geiger counter
screen; laboratory tests showed that this was a possible interpretation.
Examination of specimens
The primary purpose of examining a specimen is to identify it
before and after bending, and to measure the magnitude of the
bend. The most powerful simple identification is by accurate weighing;
an accuracy of + 10^-4gm is readily available on a chemical balance.
Apparently identical specimens exhibit different weights, even
if only by a few tenths of a milligram. Considerable careful machining
would be required to prepare specimens giving identical readings
on the chemical balance. Weighing will also detect weakening by
filing, chemical action, condensation of moisture and human sweat.
Various physical properties of the specimens might be considered
as possible indicators of paranormal bending. They would only
be valid indications if the structure of the metal were different,
as between paranormal and physical bending. The orientation of
grains in a polycrystalline specimen can be monitored by X-ray
reflection; at our instigation in 1974 Barnes et al (2) made
measurements on a brass latchkey allegedly paranormally bent by
Geller, and found the data indistinguishable from the unbent parts
of the latchkey. More recently some micro-hardness measurements
have been made (3) on polycrystalline and single crystal specimens
allegedly paranormally bent by our child subjects. The data (Figure
5) do not show appreciable differences from those for physical
bending. Thus neither of these techniques is in general suitable
for validation by examination; nor is it likely that other physical
techniques would be more suitable, since it may be inferred that
structurally the paranormally and physically bent specimens are
usually very similar, if not identical. It is true that other
techniques might penetrate further into the solid, but there is
no reason to suppose that paranormal bending is primarily a surface
phenomenon.
A most unexpected finding was made on a single crystal of molybdenum
of extremely high purity (25 parts per million ferromagnetics),
which was bent without touching by Geller under reasonably good
witnessing conditions. On subsequent examination it was found
to be slightly ferromagnetic. The specimen possessed a magnetic
moment of about the same magnitude as a specimen of commercial
molybdenum of similar size, and would thus be expected to contain
about 8500 parts per million of ferromagnetics; however, neutron
activation analysis (to destruction) showed the proportions to
be not much larger than the original values, so that the results
are inconsistent.
At the time of the paranormal bend the crystal had been resting
on a steel plate, and it might be conjectured that impurities
had transferred to the crystal from the steel plate. Whilst this
may well be nothing more than a wild speculation, it indicates
a possible line of enquiry: entry of trace impurities during alleged
paranormal bending. Some witnessed bends have been obtained in
zinc and copper crystals of high purity, and analysis for trace
impurities is in progress.
Another possible technique of validation by specimen examination
has been applied to fractures produced by paranormal action. Examination
of the fracture surfaces by electron microscope might show anomalies
absent in normal fractures. Barnes et al (2) studied electron
micrographs of cutlery fractures allegedly paranormally; but although
some features were found which would not be expected in normal
fractures, the complications were such that recognition of a paranormal
fracture from the electron micrographs was by no means certain.
It was reported by Franklin (4) that electron micrographs of paranormally
fractured stainless steel spoons were very similar to those of
normal room temperature ductile fractures. But witnessed paranormal
fractures of a stainless steel needle and of a platinum ring showed
low temperature creep and, within tens of microns, locaised melting.
A strong case could be made for these observations being good
validation, but no confirmation has yet been reported. It must
be recognized that the study of fracture electron micrographs
is a specialization in itself.
"Impossible" tasks
A validation method possessing great advantages is the setting
of tasks which would be "impossible" without paranormal
bending. The greatest advantage is that the need for close witnessing
is obviated. No observer can be confident of his credibility as
a witness, because of the mystique on this subject spread about
by the conjuring fraternity.
An "impossible'' task might, for example, be to produce a
large bend in a metal specimen inside a sealed all-glass tube.
Glass is the only material suitable, since, uniquely, the breakage
and re-sealing of a glass tube would be recognizable by a variety
of simple physical techniques. Sealing by adhesive such as epoxy
resin is inadequate, since breakage with the minimum of damage
is relatively easy, and re-sealing can be very difficult to detect
or identify with certainty. There are refractory metals which
could be used for the material of the sealed tube, but it is thought
that subjects find it easiest to produce effects inside a transparent
material.
Although more than a dozen specimens in sealed all-glass tubes
have been offered to subjects, we know of no case in which a large
bend has been produced in a specimen in such a tube. But when
a small hole (from 2mm to 12mm diameter) is allowed in an all-glass
globe, then specimens can be bent inside. It is then a purely
technical matter to determine whether or not the bend could have
been produced with the aid of tools in the time available. We
have found that instrument mechanics can produce bends in surprisingly
strong specimens with the aid of tools inserted through the hole
in the globe. Thus although metal strips can be bent by a subject
in such a globe, the validation is not always straightforward
in these cases.
One particular type of specimen has been found most suitable with
child subjects, namely, the common paperclip, usually made of
nickel-plated steel. Since these are relatively easy to bend physically,
they are likely to be also relatively easy to bend paranormally.
A number of clips can be bent together into a 'scrunch', although
physically it is difficult to get them to interlock tightly. This
tightening or interlocking cannot be produced physically inside
a glass globe containing a small hole, but it can be produced
paranormally by child subjects under these circumstances; it is
therefore good for the validation of the paranormal metal-bending
ability of these subjects, and a separate paper has been written
about one such case (5). An illustration of a globe containing
a paperclip scrunch produced by Andrew G (which has not appeared
previously) is given in Figure 6.
Brittle metals
The normal loading of a metal strip causes an elastic deformation
proportional to the load, but beyond a certain 'yield-point',
further deformation takes place, of a plastic or permanent character.
The strip work-hardens as it deforms, so that its resistance to
deformation increases with time, until it is often sufficiently
large to resist the loading entirely; no further deformation then
occurs. But if the resistance is insufficient to resist the loading,
fracture then takes place. There exist many brittle metals in
which the work-hardening is so slight that any plastic deformation
terminates in fracture. Such metals will not bend plastically,
except by 'creep', a process which is only appreciable at temperatures
greater than one half of the absolute melting temperature. Thus
low melting point brittle metals may be deformed by creep at room
temperature, but cannot otherwise be deformed plastically just
by the imposition of a load. An attempt to cause plastic deformation
of a brittle material must involve a load which increases steadily
with increasing time. Since it is virtually impossible to terminate
a manual load suddenly during the very brief period when the material
is plastically deformed, it will be virtually impossible to bend
manually a suitably chosen specimen of brittle material, except
in a long period of time during which creep occurs.
Creep is the deformation produced very slowly by the continuous
application of a load. The rate at which deformation occurs is
not constant; according to Andrade's law, the deformation is proportional
to the square root of the time for which the load is applied.
Although the law is an incomplete description, we have verified
it over a particular set of conditions for the eutectic alloy
of bismuth, tin and cadmium (M.P. 103°C). At room temperature
the loading of a 6mm x 8mm specimen, supported by two knife edges
10cm apart, with a 3.2kg load for 4.25 hr. produces a bend through
16° . A sudden application of 3.5kg under the same conditions
fractures the specimen; careful application of manual force to
a 12cm specimen can produce a bend of up to 10° per minute,
before accidental fracture takes place. But a suitably dimensioned
specimen of this alloy cannot be normally bent, without fracture,
through a large angle in a time of the order of minutes. It can
be normally fractured with the appearance of a bend at the break;
even in boiling water the alloy is still brittle and fracture
will occur. In order to produce normally a large angle bend without
fracture, a special machine producing a time-varying strain would
have to be constructed.
A suitable specimen of this alloy can be used for validation of
paranormal bending without concentrated witnessing, since the
continuous application of surreptitious force will almost inevitably
cause fracture. Specimens 15cm length and 6 x 6mm and 6 x 8mm
cross-sections have been bent allegedly paranormally without fracture
by Andrew G and Nicholas W as follows: 135 ° in 10 min. 100°
in 5 min. 67° in 3 min. 62° in 2 min. 40° in 10
min. 34° in 6 min. At one session Nicholas W placed four
specimens in his coat pocket, and within five minutes all four
had bent, through angles 111°, 135°, 160°, 170°.
As with bends that have been produced by creep loading for several
hours, there was essentially no work-hardening (in one case a
rise from 19.9 V.P.N. to 20.8 V.P.N. was observed on the neutral
axis, but no rise on the outside curved surface).
Credibility. Conclusions.
Validation without high credibility of the validator or validators
is inadequate. The credibility of a validator is his own responsibility.
Simple analysis leads to the following conclusions:
(i) Credibility is usually increased proportionately to the number
of investigators, provided that the rapport between them is sufficiently
close. Since a large number of investigators is inefficient' particularly
for witnessing, compromise is necessary. In these studies guest
investigators, invited on particular occasions, have played a
valuable role.
(ii) Credibility is highest when the involvement of the validator
is only moderate, for example, when he is a researcher specializing
primarily not in parapsychology, but in another field of natural
or social science. On the other hand, such people have less experience
in the subtleties of psychological and parapsychological fraud.
(iii) Reliance can be placed on the motive of a researcher to
maximise his credibility. It is therefore with reluctance that
he reports an incredible event. To an inexperienced parapsychologist,
all paranormal events are of similar incredibility, but after
study of the literature, patterns emerge, so that degrees of incredibility
can be established. One therefore might be tempted not to report
the anomalous paranormal events in large proportion. Yielding
to such temptation of course makes the pursuit of experimental
science impossible; one therefore does not admit to yielding to
it, one deceives oneself into actual disbelief of the evidence
for the event. This contradiction has perhaps contributed to the
sharp division of intellectuals into sceptics and believers.
The contradiction is overcome if one accepts the situation that
one's own credibility is relatively unimportant. It is worth reporting
that, as a newcomer to psychical research, my initial recorded
position was to the effect that "I would believe only the
evidence of my own senses and experiments". After little
more than two years experience, I have now personally had the
opportunity to work out some patterns and beliefs on the basis
of this evidence. I have also studied the literature, and found
that these patterns are sometimes similar to those previously
reported. I have also learned to apply various criteria of credibility
of witnesses, for example, that of assessing their ability to
distinguish between observation and inference. But I am still
very conscious of the temptation to maintain a high level of credibility
and even to build it up as capital; and of the importance of resisting
this temptation. I therefore report my belief that I have been
able to validate the metal-bending (not the metal-softening) phenomenon
on a number of occasions by visual witnessing, chart-recording,
"impossible" tasks and brittle metals.
I am grateful to the Society for Psychical Research for financial
support of this research.
- B. Hasted
Birkbeck College, University of London
References
(1) J.B. Hasted, DJ. Bohm, E.W. Bastin and B. O'Regan, Nature
254, 470, 1975.
(2) P. Barnes, J.W. Jeffery, O. Bateman, T. Gare, T. Southern;
Birkbeck College, University of London, private communication
1974.
(3) M. Desvaux. Electrical Research Association, Leatherhead.
Private communication 197 5.
(4) W. Franklin, New Horizons 2, 8, 1975
(5) J.B. Hasted, A Method of validating metal-bending phenomena,
submitted to J. Sci. Inst. 1975.
FIGURES
Figure 1.
Strain gauge circuit and mounting inside latchkey.
Note, the input impedance should be the same, looking into the positive
or the negative input to the bridge amplifier. It is not in this preliminary circuit.
This condition is necessary in order that noise from the bridge supply is
not amplified; higher gains are thus obtainable.
It is also possible to work with narrow band bridge excitation.
Figure 2.
Chart records of strain transients produced in latchkey. (a) Series
of weak elastic bends produced physically by adult fingers. (b)
50 gm weight dropped from 2cm height onto end of cantilevered
key. (c) 175 gm weight dropped from 10cm height onto end of cantilevered
key. (d) Bends produced by vigorous action of adult fingers. (e,
f) Transients produced by subjects without touching key.
Figure 3.
Chart records of strain transients produced during the
complete (1-5) history of bendings produced in a latchkey by Nicholas
W on 15 January, 1976. Intervals free from signals are displayed
as horizontal spaces, with durations in minutes.
Figure 3 Cont.
Parts of the chart-record of time variation of Count rate measured
by a Mini Instruments radiation monitor probe held in both hands
by Uri Geller. Part of a chart-record of the output of a Newport
Instruments. gaussmeter probe, showing two 2 mG peaks simultaneous
with c and d. Inset: schematic diagram of apparatus, key as follows:
G, Geiger counter; R. Harwell 2000 series ratemeter; CR, chart-recorder;
L, loudspeaker. The shaded part of the Geiger counter screen is
of insulating material, through which electrical transients can
reach the amplifier input.
Figure 5 & 6.
Micro-hardness (Vickers Hardness V. P. N. ) variation along outside
surface of single crystal of copper. (a) Shows the variation along
length of outside surface of principal bend produced by apparently
gentle stroking action of ten year old boy. Bent crystal is shown
above the data points so that these can readily be related to
the location of the bend. Distances x(cm) are measured along the
bent surface. The tip of the crystal, at the right, was bent by
the gentle action of fourteen year old Julie K, about an axis
perpendicular to that of the principal bend. The bent tip, viewed
from two perpendicular directions, is also shown enlarged in (b),
together with data points measured at distances x(mm) from the
extremity.
Figure 5 & 6.
"Impossible" task; glass sphere, 131mm diameter, 8mm
diameter hole, containing paperclip scrunch produced by eleven
year old Andrew G. in about thirty minutes.
Figure 7.
Latchkey after paranormal strain transients illustrated in Figure
3. A slight bend, of 12°, is apparent.
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