ESP and espionage: How psychics aided the U.S. government
CBS Sunday Morning・5 minutes read
In the 1970s, Uri Geller popularized extrasensory perception by claiming to bend spoons with his mind and read minds, gaining the US government's interest in using psychics like him for espionage purposes through projects like Stargate despite skepticism from physicists.
Insights
- Uri Geller, a former Israeli Army paratrooper, rose to fame in the 1970s for his claims of bending spoons with his mind, seeing inside sealed containers, and reading minds, popularizing extrasensory perception (ESP) to the public.
- The US government's involvement with psychic phenomena, exemplified by Project Stargate in the 1980s, showcases a history of utilizing psychics and mediums for espionage purposes, indicating a longstanding interest in exploring the potential of paranormal abilities despite skepticism from some physicists like Sean Carroll.
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Recent questions
Who popularized extrasensory perception in the 1970s?
Uri Geller
What was Project Stargate initiated for in the 1980s?
Psychic espionage
Who expressed skepticism about paranormal phenomena?
Sean Carroll
What did declassified documents reveal about the US government's interest in psychic espionage?
Decades-long attempts
What abilities did soldiers display in ongoing studies related to paranormal phenomena?
Precognitive abilities
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Summary
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Government's Interest in Psychic Espionage and ESP
- In the 1970s, Uri Geller, an ex-Israeli Army paratrooper, gained fame for popularizing extrasensory perception (ESP) by claiming he could bend spoons with his mind, see inside sealed containers, and read minds.
- Geller caught the attention of the intelligence community, leading to the US government's interest in using individuals like him for psychic espionage, with declassified documents revealing decades-long attempts at such programs.
- Project Stargate, initiated by the Defense Intelligence Agency in the 1980s, employed psychics and mediums for espionage purposes, successfully locating missing hostages and fugitives using psychic abilities.
- Despite skepticism from physicists like Cal Tech's Sean Carroll, government interest in paranormal phenomena continues, with ongoing studies on soldiers displaying precognitive abilities to sense danger, indicating a persistent intrigue in ESP and related phenomena.
