An anomalous phenomenon is an observed event which deviates from what is expected (an anomaly) according to existing rules or scientific theory. Sometimes the anomalous phenomenon is expected, but the reason for the deviation is unclear (See section on anomalies in science). The scientific study of the field is called anomalistics, though it has been (incorrectly) associated with pseudoscience.^[1] Look up event in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... An anomaly is something which deviates from the standard or expected. ... For other uses, see Phenomena (disambiguation). ... An anomalous phenomenon is an observed event which deviates from what is expected (an anomaly) according to existing rules or scientific theory. ... Anomalistics, a term originally conceived in 1974 by Drew University anthropologist Robert W. Wescott, is defined as the Crediting creation of the field to Charles Fort, journalist, satirist, and chronicler of unexplained physical (as opposed to psychical) events, Wescott also named unorthodox biologist Ivan T. Sanderson, and scientist and Sourcebook... A typical 18th century phrenology chart. ...

Anomalous phenomena as falsification of a theory

In work beginning in the 1930s, noted philosopher Karl Popper gave falsifiability a renewed emphasis as a criterion of empirical statements in science. ^[2] Popper noticed that two types of statements are of particular value to scientists. The first are statements of observations, such as 'this is a white swan'. Logicians call these statements singular existential statements, since they assert the existence of some particular thing. They can be parsed in the form: There is an x which is a swan, and x is white. A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... Sir Karl Raimund Popper, CH, FRS, FBA, (July 28, 1902 – September 17, 1994), was an Austrian and British[1] philosopher and a professor at the London School of Economics. ... For a List of scientists, see: List of anthropologists List of astronomers List of biologists List of chemists List of computer scientists List of economists List of engineers List of geologists List of inventors List of mathematicians List of meteorologists List of physicists Scientist pairs List of scientist pairs See... In predicate logic, an existential quantification is the predication of a property or relation to at least one member of the domain. ...

The second type of statement of interest to scientists categorizes all instances of something, for example 'all swans are white'. Logicians call these statements universal. They are usually parsed in the form: For all x, if x is a swan, then x is white. In predicate logic, universal quantification is an attempt to formalize the notion that something (a logical predicate) is true for everything, or every relevant thing. ...

Scientific laws are commonly supposed to be of the second type. Perhaps the most difficult question in the methodology of science is: How does one move from observations to laws? How can one validly infer a universal statement from any number of existential statements? For a list of set rules, see Laws of science. ... Scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. ...

Inductivist methodology supposed that one can somehow move from a series of singular existential statements to a universal statement. That is, that one can move from 'this is a white swan', 'that is a white swan', and so on, to a universal statement such as 'all swans are white'. This method is clearly deductively invalid, since it is always possible that there may be a non-white swan that has somehow avoided observation. Yet some philosophers of science claim that science is based on such an inductive method. Aristotle appears first to establish the mental behaviour of induction as a category of reasoning. ...

Swans

Popper held that science could not be grounded on such an invalid inference. He proposed falsification as a solution to the problem of induction. ^[3] Popper noticed that although a singular existential statement such as 'there is a white swan' cannot be used to affirm a universal statement, it can be used to show that one is false: the singular existential observation of a black swan serves to show that the universal statement 'all swans are white' is false - in logic this is called modus tollens. 'There is a black swan' implies 'there is a non-white swan' which in turn implies 'there is something which is a swan and which is not white', hence 'all swans are white' is false, because that is the same as 'there is nothing which is a swan and which is not white'. The problem of induction is the philosophical issue involved in deciding the place of induction in determining empirical truth. ... In logic, Modus ponendo tollens (Latin for mode that affirms by denying) is the formal name for indirect proof or proof by contraposition (contrapositive inference), often abbreviated to MT. It can also be referred to as denying the consequent, and is a valid form of argument (unlike similarly-named but...

A white mute swan, common to Eurasia and North America.

Two black swans, native to Australia.

One notices a white swan. From this one can conclude: Mute Swan feeds from seed thrown by visitors at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre, Gloucestershire, England. ... Mute Swan feeds from seed thrown by visitors at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre, Gloucestershire, England. ... Binomial name (Gmelin, 1789) Synonyms Anas olor Gmelin, 1789 Cygnus olor immutabilis var. ... For other uses, see Eurasia (disambiguation). ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Black Swans at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre, Gloucestershire, England. ... Black Swans at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre, Gloucestershire, England. ... Binomial name Cygnus atratus Latham, 1790 Subspecies Black Swan New Zealand Swan (extinct) Synonyms Anas atrata Latham, 1790 Chenopis atratus The Black Swan, Cygnus atratus is a large non-migratory waterbird which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest of Australia. ...

At least one swan is white.

From this, one may wish to infer that:

All swans are white.

It may be impossible to observe all the swans in the world to verify that they are all white.

Even so, the statement all swans are white is testable by being falsifiable. For, if in testing many swans, the researcher finds a single black swan, then the statement all swans are white would not be true; it would be falsified by the counterexample of the single black swan. Binomial name Cygnus atratus Latham, 1790 Subspecies Black Swan New Zealand Swan (extinct) Synonyms Anas atrata Latham, 1790 Chenopis atratus The Black Swan, Cygnus atratus is a large non-migratory waterbird which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest of Australia. ...

Modus tollens

The falsification of statements occurs through modus tollens, via some observation. Suppose some universal statement U implies an observation O: In logic, Modus ponendo tollens (Latin for mode that affirms by denying) is the formal name for indirect proof or proof by contraposition (contrapositive inference), often abbreviated to MT. It can also be referred to as denying the consequent, and is a valid form of argument (unlike similarly-named but...

An observation conflicting with O, however, is made:

So by modus tollens,

One anomalous phenomenon

A statement is only complete insofar as it accurately describes something free from anomalies. As in the example where the truth of the statement 'all swans are white' is falsified by the counterexample of the single black swan, any theory is shown to be falsified by a verified singular anomaly. For example, the statement 'dinosaurs are extinct' would be falsified by the discovery of just one remaining dinosaur. The burden of cryptozoologists, then, would be to find a single example of a cryptid to disprove the statement 'cryptids do not exist'. Of course, as cryptozoologist Loren Coleman notes, every time a cryptid is "discovered" (e.g. giant panda, mountain gorilla, okapi, coelacanth, megamouth shark, saola) then that species becomes part of zoology, and not cryptozoology.^{[citation needed]} Cryptozoology is the study of rumored or mythological animals that are presumed to exist, but for which conclusive proof does not yet exist; or are generally considered extinct, but occasionally reported. ... Cryptids are creatures presumed extinct, hypothetical species, or creatures known from anecdotal evidence and/or other evidence insufficient to prove their existence with scientific certainty. ... Loren Coleman in a photograph featured in his profile on Cryptomundo. ... Panda Bear redirects here. ... Trinomial name Gorilla berengei berengei Matschie, 1914 The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei[1]) is one of two subspecies of Eastern Gorillas. ... Binomial name (P.L. Sclater, 1901) Range map The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is a mammal of the Ituri Rainforest in central Africa. ... Families See text. ... Binomial name Megachasma pelagios Taylor, Compagno and Struhsaker, 1983 The megamouth shark, Megachasma pelagios, is an extremely rare and unusual species of shark, discovered in 1976, with 37 specimens known to be caught or sighted as of 2006. ... Binomial name Pseudoryx nghetinhensis Dung, Giao, Chinh, Tuoc, Arctander, MacKinnon, 1993 The Saola or Vu Quang ox, also, infrequently, Vu Quang bovid (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), one of the worlds rarest mammals, is a forest-dwelling bovine found only in Vietnam (Vu Quang Nature Reserve) and in Laos, near the Vietnam...

Reversely, falsification is why various fields that pursue anomalous phenomena are often seen as not being worthwhile in mainstream science, or, by extreme skeptics, as pseudoscientific. If the aim of science is to move observations to laws, or to weed out singular existential statements in favor of universal statements through testing against falsifying propositions, anomalies suffer from a missing component of the scientific method. A falsifying proposition of anomalies as deviations from the norm would be the norm. Testing for the norm is seen as redundant. Falsification may mean: The act of disproving a proposition, hypothesis, or theory. ... Part of a scientific laboratory at the University of Cologne. ... Skepticism (Commonwealth spelling: Scepticism) can mean: Philosophical skepticism - a philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge; or Scientific skepticism - a scientific, or practical... Phrenology is regarded today as a classic example of pseudoscience. ... In predicate logic, an existential quantification is the predication of a property or relation to at least one member of the domain. ... In predicate logic, universal quantification is an attempt to formalize the notion that something (a logical predicate) is true for everything, or every relevant thing. ... Scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. ... Redundancy, in general terms, refers to the quality or state of being redundant, that is: exceeding what is necessary or normal, containing an excess. ...

Limitations

Although the logic of falsification is valid, it is rather limited. Nearly any statement can be made to fit the data, so long as one makes the requisite 'compensatory adjustments'. Popper drew attention to these limitations in The Logic of Scientific Discovery, in response to anticipated criticism from Duhem and Carnap. ^[3] W. V. Quine expounded this argument in detail, calling it confirmation holism. ^[4] In order to logically falsify a universal, one must find a true falsifying singular statement. But Popper pointed out that it is always possible to change the universal statement or the existential statement so that falsification does not occur. On hearing that a black swan has been observed in Australia, one might introduce the ad hoc hypothesis, 'all swans are white except those found in Australia'; or one might adopt another, more cynical view about some observers, 'the bird watchers are incompetent'. Falsification does not enable scientists to present a definitive falsification of universal statements. The Logic of Scientific Discovery is a 1959 book by Karl Popper. ... Pierre Maurice Marie Duhem (10 June 1861 – 14 September 1916) French physicist and philosopher of science. ... Rudolf Carnap (May 18, 1891, Ronsdorf, Germany – September 14, 1970, Santa Monica, California) was an influential philosopher who was active in central Europe before 1935 and in the United States thereafter. ... For people named Quine, see Quine (surname). ... Confirmation holism, also called epistemological holism is the claim that a scientific theory cannot be tested in isolation; a test of one theory always depends on other theories and hypotheses. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Ad hoc is a Latin phrase which means for this [purpose]. It generally signifies a solution that has been tailored to a specific purpose, such as a tailor-made suit, a handcrafted network protocol, and specific-purpose equation and things like that. ... Ornithology (from the Greek ornis = bird and logos = word/science) is the branch of zoology concerned with the scientific study of birds. ...

These 'compensatory adjustments' have been noticed in criticisms of James Randi's One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge. The challenge offers the proposition that if one can show a single verifiable anomalous phenomenon (termed paranormal in the challenge), then one will be awarded the prize of one million dollars. To date no one has been able to do so. Some of Randi's detractors claim that the challenge is insincere, and that Randi will ensure he never has to pay out. The October 1981 issue of Fate magazine, quoted him as saying "I always have an out".^[5] Although some critics interpret this to mean he will never let his organization lose such a challenge, the "out" could easily be a variation on Popper's idea that it is always possible to change the universal statement or the existential statement so that falsification does not occur. A statement about the debatable existence of psychic phenomena, for example, can be changed from 'psychic phenomena do not exist' to 'psychic phenomena do not exist in the laboratory under these conditions', and so on. It should be noted that Randi claims that the phrase "I always have an out" refers to the fact that he does not allow test subjects to cheat.^[6] James Randi (born August 7, 1928), stage name The Amazing Randi, is a stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. ... The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale, Florida non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. ... This section does not cite its references or sources. ... Psychic (sīkĭk); from the Greek psychikos - of the soul, mental - and referring in part to the human mind or psyche (ex. ...

Anomalies in science

The occurrence of anomalies in science are often expected, but why the event deviates from what should occur is not always clear. For example, in the Pioneer anomaly, observations have pointed to a deviation in the expected trajectories of various spin-stabilised unmanned spacecraft visiting the outer solar system, notably number 10 and 11 of the Pioneer program. After several observations of the effect, one can reasonably expect the deviation to occur. However, when all known forces acting on the spacecraft are taken into consideration, a very small but unexplained force remains. It causes a constant sunward acceleration of (8.74 ± 1.33) × 10⁻¹⁰ m/s² for both spacecraft. The reason for this anomaly remains unknown beyond speculation. The Pioneer anomaly or Pioneer effect is the observed deviation from expectations of the trajectories of various unmanned spacecraft visiting the outer solar system, notably Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11. ... Mathematically the term trajectory refers to the ordered set of states which are assumed by a dynamical system over time (see e. ... Spin-stabilisation is the method of stabilizing a satellite by means of spin. ... Unmanned space missions are those using remote-controlled spacecraft. ... The outer solar system (as opposed to the outer planets) is that part of the Solar System which begins at roughly the orbit of Neptune and terminates at maximum orbit distance, approximately one Light Year from the sun in terms of orbital measurements. ... Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to travel through the asteroid belt, and was the first spacecraft to make direct observations of Jupiter. ... Position of Pioneer 10 and 11 Pioneer 11 was the second mission to investigate Jupiter and the outer solar system and the first to explore the planet Saturn and its main rings. ... The US Pioneer program of unmanned space missions was designed for planetary exploration. ... Sol redirects here. ...

Known anomalies in science

• In astronomy (and also in astrodynamics), the anomaly is the angular distance of a planet from its periapsis:
  • The true anomaly is observed from the primary (I.e., from the orbit's focus);
  • The eccentric anomaly is observed from the centre of the ellipse, using a projection of the planet's position onto the circumscribing circle; and
  • The mean anomaly is the fraction of an orbital period that has elapsed, expressed as an angle.
• In an anomaly time series the times are not uniformly spaced.
• In physics, an anomaly is a classical symmetry that is not a symmetry of the quantum theory. See anomaly (physics) and conformal anomaly, chiral anomaly, gravitational anomaly, gauge anomaly, mixed anomaly, global anomaly, parity anomaly.
• The Pioneer anomaly is the observed deviation of the trajectories of various spin-stabilised unmanned spacecraft, notably number 10 and 11 of the Pioneer program.

For other uses, see Astronomy (disambiguation). ... Astrodynamics is the study of the motion of rockets, missiles, and space vehicles, as determined from Sir Isaac Newtons laws of motion and his law of universal gravitation. ... This article is about several astronomical terms (apogee & perigee, aphelion & perihelion, generic equivalents based on apsis, and related but rarer terms. ... In astronomy, the true anomaly (, also written ) is the angle between the direction z-s of periapsis and the current position p of an object on its orbit, measured at the focus s of the ellipse (the point around which the object orbits). ... Two bodies with a slight difference in mass orbiting around a common barycenter. ... In geometry, the focus (pl. ... The eccentric anomaly is the angle between the direction of periapsis and the current position of an object on its orbit, projected onto the ellipses circumscribing circle perpendicularly to the major axis, measured at the centre of the ellipse. ... For other uses, see Ellipse (disambiguation). ... In the study of orbital dynamics the mean anomaly is a measure of time, specific to the orbiting body p, which is a multiple of 2π radians at and only at periapsis. ... The orbital period is the time it takes a planet (or another object) to make one full orbit. ... This article is about angles in geometry. ... An anomaly time series is the time series of deviations of a quantity from some mean. ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ... In physics, an anomaly is a classical symmetry — a symmetry of the Lagrangian — that is broken in quantum field theories. ... Conformal anomaly is an anomaly a quantum phenomenon that breaks the conformal symmetry of the classical theory. ... A chiral anomaly is the anomalous nonconservation of a chiral current. ... Anomalies in the usual 4 spacetime dimensions arise from triangle Feynman diagrams In theoretical physics, a gravitational anomaly is an example of an anomaly: it is an effect of quantum mechanics - usually a one-loop diagram - that invalidates the general covariance of a theory of general relativity combined with some... In theoretical physics, a gauge anomaly is an example of an anomaly: it is an effect of quantum mechanics - usually a one-loop diagram - that invalidates the gauge symmetry of a quantum field theory i. ... In theoretical physics, a mixed anomaly is an example of an anomaly: it is an effect of quantum mechanics - usually a one-loop diagram - that implies that the classically valid general covariance and gauge symmetry of a theory of general relativity combined with gauge fields and fermionic fields cannot be... In theoretical physics, a global anomaly is a type of anomaly: in this particular case, it is a quantum effect that invalidates a discrete symmetry that would otherwise be preserved in the classical theory. ... In a quantum field theory over an odd dimensional spacetime with fermions with a classical action which is invariant under parity, we may sometimes have parity anomalies, which is an anomaly associated with parity, which is broken. ... The Pioneer anomaly or Pioneer effect is the observed deviation from expectations of the trajectories of various unmanned spacecraft visiting the outer solar system, notably Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11. ... Mathematically the term trajectory refers to the ordered set of states which are assumed by a dynamical system over time (see e. ... Spin-stabilisation is the method of stabilizing a satellite by means of spin. ... Unmanned space missions are those using remote-controlled spacecraft. ... Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to travel through the asteroid belt, and was the first spacecraft to make direct observations of Jupiter. ... Position of Pioneer 10 and 11 Pioneer 11 was the second mission to investigate Jupiter and the outer solar system and the first to explore the planet Saturn and its main rings. ... The US Pioneer program of unmanned space missions was designed for planetary exploration. ...

Fortean anomalies

Main article: Forteana

Charles Fort (1874 – 1932) is perhaps the best known researcher of unexplained anomalous phenomena. Fort is said to have compiled as many as 40,000 notes on unexplained phenomena, though there were no doubt many more than this. These notes came from what he called "the orthodox conventionality of Science", which were odd events originally printed in respected mainstream scientific journals or newspapers such as Scientific American, The Times, Nature and Science. From these researches Fort wrote seven books, though only four survive. These are: The Book of the Damned (1919), New Lands (1923), Lo! (1931) and Wild Talents (1932); one book was written between New Lands and Lo! but it was abandoned and absorbed into Lo!. Charles Fort, 1920 Charles Hoy Fort (August 6, 1874 - May 3, 1932), writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena, was the son of an Albany grocer of Dutch ancestry. ... This article is not about Charles Forte. ... Nature, Science and PNAS In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research. ... Scientific American is a popular-science magazine, published (first weekly and later monthly) since August 28, 1845, making it the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ... Nature is a prominent scientific journal, first published on 4 November 1869. ... Science is the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). ... The Book of the Damned - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... New Lands was the second nonfiction book of the author Charles Fort, written in 1925. ... Lo! is a book by Charles Fort, originally written in 1931. ... Wild Talents is the fourth and final book written by paranormal author Charles Fort, published in 1932. ...

Collectively these phenomena are now referred to as 'Fortean' phenomena, or Forteana. Reported events include teleportation (a term Fort is generally credited with coining); poltergeist events, falls of frogs, fishes, inorganic materials of an amazing range; crop circles; unaccountable noises and explosions; spontaneous fires; levitation; ball lightning (a term explicitly used by Fort); unidentified flying objects; mysterious appearances and disappearances; giant wheels of light in the oceans; entombed animals; and animals found outside their normal ranges (see phantom cat). He offered many reports of OOPArts, abbreviation for "out of place" artifacts: strange items found in unlikely locations. He also is perhaps the first person to explain strange human appearances and disappearances by the hypothesis of alien abduction, and was an early proponent of the extraterrestrial hypothesis. Charles Fort, 1920 Charles Hoy Fort (August 6, 1874 - May 3, 1932), writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena, was the son of an Albany grocer of Dutch ancestry. ... Teleportation is the movement of objects or elementary particles from one place to another, more or less instantaneously, without traveling through space. ...   (from German poltern and Geist, noisy ghost, spirit, or embodiment) denotes a spirit or ghost that manifests itself by moving and influencing objects. ... This article is about the band, Crop Circles, for information about the controversial phenomenon, see crop circle. ... Spontaneous combustion is a type of combustion which occurs without an external ignition source. ... A cubical magnet levitating over a superconducting material (this is known as the Meissner effect) Levitation (from Latin levare, to raise) is the process by which an object is suspended against gravity, in a stable position, by a force without physical contact. ... For other uses, see Ball lightning (disambiguation). ... UFO redirects here. ... In Forteana, entombed animals are animals reportedly found alive after being encased in solid rock (and sometimes coal or wood) for an indeterminate amount of time. ... Phantom Cats also known as Alien Big Cats (ABCs) are a phenomenon of a number of countries and states including Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Denmark, and Hawaii. ... OOPArt, from the acronym for out-of-place artifact, is a term coined by American zoologist Ivan T. Sanderson for a historical, archaeological or paleontological object found in a very unusual, or even impossible, location. ... The Abduction Phenomenon is as umbrella term used to describe a number of kidnap individuals--sometimes called abductees--usually for medical testing or for sexual reproduction procedures. ... A photograph taken in Passoria, New Jersey, on July 31 1952 The Extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) is the hypothesis that UFOs are best explained as being creatures from other planets occupying physical spacecraft visiting Earth. ...

There are many phenomena in Fort's works which have now been partially or entirely "recuperated" by mainstream science — ball lightning, for example, was largely rejected as impossible by the scientific consensus of Fort's day, but is now generally recognized as a genuine phenomenon. However, many of Fort's ideas remain on the very borderlines of "mainstream science". This is unsurprising, as Fort resolutely refused to abandon the territory beyond "acceptable" science. For other uses, see Ball lightning (disambiguation). ... Scientific consensus is the collective judgment, position, and opinion of the community of scientists in a particular field of science at a particular time. ...

Paranormal anomalies

Main article: paranormal phenomena

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Paranormal

Purported phenomena with explanations considered to be outside the scope of conventional science can be classified as paranormal phenomena. Because these anomalies are difficult to explain in terms of science, their existence is often challenged by skeptics. Even when there is a widespread belief that the anomaly is real, explanations for the anomaly are subjected to frequent debate and controversy.^[7] Anomalous phenomena are phenomena which are observed and for which there are no suitable explanations in the context of a specific body of scientific knowledge, e. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is one of a family of wiki-based projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation, running on MediaWiki software. ... Anomalous phenomena are phenomena which are observed and for which there are no suitable explanations in the context of a specific body of scientific knowledge, e. ... Skepticism (Commonwealth spelling: Scepticism) can mean: Philosophical skepticism - a philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge; or Scientific skepticism - a scientific, or practical...

Within the umbrella term of paranormal, there are subclasses of phenomena as well. For example, phenomena studied in the limited field of parapsychology would be a subclass, which in turn can be divided into three classes of its own: Early parapsychological research employed the use of Zener cards in experiments designed to test for possible telepathic communication. ...

• Mental phenomena: often described as extrasensory perception, this class includes unusual mental states or abilities, such as telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition
• Physical phenomena: this class includes unusual physical occurrences, such as psychokinesis, poltergeists, stigmata, paranormal vanishing, reality shifts or materializations
• Survival phenomena: this class deals with the survival of consciousness after physical death and includes ghosts, hauntings, out-of-body experiences (OBEs), reincarnation and near-death experiences (NDEs)

Phenomena considered outside the scope of parapsychology, but possibly within the scope of paranormal includes: The text below is generated by a template, which has been proposed for deletion. ... Telepathy, from the Greek τῆλε, tele, remote; and πάθεια, patheia, to be effected by, describes the hypothetical transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five classical senses. ... Clairvoyance, from 17th century French Clair meaning clear and voyant meaning seeing, is a term used to describe the transference of information about an object, location or physical event through means other than the 5 traditional senses (See Psi). ... Precognition (from the Latin præ-, “prior to,” + cognitio, “a getting to know”) denotes a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person is able to perceive information about places or events before they happen through paranormal means. ... The term psychokinesis (from the Greek ψυχή, psyche, meaning mind, soul, or breath; and κίνησις, kinesis, meaning motion; literally movement from the mind)[1][2] or PK, also known as telekinesis[3] (Greek + , literally distant-movement referring to telekinesis) or TK, denotes the paranormal ability of the mind to influence matter, time...   (from German poltern and Geist, noisy ghost, spirit, or embodiment) denotes a spirit or ghost that manifests itself by moving and influencing objects. ... For other senses of this word, see stigma and stigmata (disambiguation). ... Paranormal vanishing is the expression for the unexplainable disappearance of things, animals or human beings without a trace. ... Reality shift is a term applied to the experience of hypothetical changes in reality that might include the appearance, disappearance, transformation or transportation of objects, or a change in the way time is experienced. ... A materialization is the creation or appearance of matter from nowhere and out of nothing. ... For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ... James Pembridge and Laura Webber investigate haunted locations in the UK. Soon to be part of The Paranormal Magazine]] Image:P1090036. ... An out-of-body experience (OBE or sometimes OOBE), is an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of ones body and, in some cases, perceiving ones physical body from a place outside ones body (autoscopy). ... This article is about the theological concept. ... “NDE” redirects here. ...

• alien abduction experiences
• cryptozoology
• déjà vu
• folie à deux
• spontaneous human combustion
• UFOs

To be classified as paranormal, a phenomenon must lack a scientific explanation. When an anomaly receives a valid scientific explanation, it becomes "perinormal." Perinormal is a term that has been suggested to describe previously unknown forces which at first appeared to be paranormal and were later verified scientifically. For example, while the idea of stones falling from the sky was once considered anomalous, meteorites are now acknowledged and well understood. For other uses of related terms, see abduction. ... Cryptozoology (from Greek: κρυπτός, kryptós, hidden; ζῷον, zôon, animal; and λόγος, logos, knowledge or study – zoology) is the search for animals hypothesized to exist, but for which conclusive proof is missing. ... For other uses, see Déjà vu (disambiguation). ... Folie à deux (literally, a madness shared by two) is a rare psychiatric syndrome in which a symptom of psychosis (particularly a paranoid or delusional belief) is transmitted from one individual to another. ... Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is a pseudo-scientific hypothesis that suggests the burning of a persons body may occur without an external source of flammable ignition. ... UFO redirects here. ... Willamette Meteorite A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives an impact with the Earths surface without being destroyed. ...

Notes

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Paranormal is an umbrella term used to describe a wide variety of reported anomalous phenomena. ...

References

• Classical civilization included unique signs and prodigies of nature in works of paradoxography such as The Phaenomena (240 BC) by Aratus of Soli.
• Inoue Enryo, a Japanese educator and philosopher, authored the six-volume The Study of Yōkai (妖怪学). As a result, he was best known as Dr. Ghost (お化け博士) or Dr. Yōkai (妖怪博士).
• Charles Fort, in his four works on anomalies (The Book of the Damned, New Lands, Lo!, and Wild Talents) lambasted and ridiculed the scientists of his day for their shortsightedness. Some of the anomalies listed in his work have been explained and incorporated into modern science, while others continue to be unexplained.
• International Fortean Organization, successor to the original Fortean Society, sponsors the annual FortFest, the world's first, most prestigious and longest-running conference on anomalous phenomena.
• William R. Corliss' Science Frontiers has covered reports in the scientific literature regarding anomalies for years. He, through his Sourcebook Project, has published a large body of reports collected in many of the scientific disciplines.
• Leonard George, a psychologist who specializes in anomalous phenomena, compiled an authoritative encyclopedia of unusual experiences, activities, and beliefs in his 1995 book Alternative Realities.
• Fortean Times, a British monthly magazine, continues in the spirit of Fort's work by publishing reports of anomalous phenomena and longer investigative articles.
• The Anomalist, edited by Patrick Huyghe and Dennis Stacy, is another magazine/journal devoted to the study of anomalies (which may be called anomalistics).
• Strange Magazine is another magazine devoted to the study of anomalies in the spirit of Fort's work.
• Fate, with the slogan "True Reports of the Strange and Unknown" has been published continuously since 1948, and is the longest-running publication of its kind.

Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, which begins roughly with the earliest-recorded Greek poetry of Homer (7th century BC), and continues through the rise of Christianity and the fall of the Western Roman Empire (5th century AD... Central New York City. ... “Natural” redirects here. ... This article needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... Aratus (Greek Aratos) (ca. ... Inoue Enryo (井上円了, March 18, 1858 - June 6, 1919), founder of Toyo University (東洋大学), was a Japanese educator, philosopher and Buddhist. ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ... The ghost of Oiwa manifesting herself as a lantern obake. ... This article is not about Charles Forte. ... The International Fortean Organization (INFO) is a network of Fortean researchers/writers, both amateur and professional, many of whom have developed life-long friendships and professional relationships. ... The Fortean Society was started in Britain in 1931 by Tiffany Thayer in order to promote the ideas of Charles Fort. ... William R. Corliss is a collector of data regarding anomalous phenomena. ... Scientific literature is the totality of publications that report original empirical and theoretical work in the sciences and social sciences. ... Leonard George is a psychologist from Vancouver, British Columbia. ... A psychologist is a person who studies psychology, the systematic investigation of the human mind, including behavior, cognition, and affect. ... Leonard George is a psychologist from Vancouver, British Columbia. ... Fortean Times is a British monthly magazine devoted to the anomalous phenomena popularised by Charles Fort. ... The Anomalist is a magazine of anomalous phenomena, edited by Patrick Huyghe. ... This section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Further reading

• Fort, Charles (1975). The Complete Books of Charles Fort (paperback), Dover Publications, 1126 pages. ISBN 0-486-23094-5. 
• Corliss, William R. (1983). Handbook of Unusual Natural Phenomena: Eyewitness Accounts of Nature's Greatest Mysteries (paperback), Anchor Press, Doubleday, 423 pages. ISBN 0-385-14754-6. 
• Rickard, Bob; Michell, John (2000). The Rough Guide to Unexplained Phenomena (paperback), Rough Guides, 400 pages. ISBN 1-85828-589-5. 
• Dash, Mike (1997). Borderlands: The Ultimate Exploration of the Unknown (paperback), Dell, 544 pages. ISBN 0-440-23656-8. 
• Remote Viewing Secrets, Joseph McMoneagle, Hampton Roads, 2000, paperback, 296 pages, ISBN 1-57174-159-3
• The Conscious Universe, Dean Radin PhD, Harper, 1997, hardback, 362 pages, ISBN 0-06-251502-0
• Channeling: Investigations on Receiving Information from Paranormal Sources. John Klimo, St. Martins Press, 1987. ISBN 0-87477-431-4
• Mr. Wilson's Cabinet Of Wonder: Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jurassic Technology, Lawrence Weschler, 1996, trade paperback, 192 pages, ISBN 0-679-76489-5 (see web site link above)
• Patrick Grim, ed. Philosophy of Science and the Occult, 1982, SUNY, ISBN 0-87395-573-0

This article is not about Charles Forte. ... William R. Corliss is a collector of data regarding anomalous phenomena. ... Bob Rickard founded the Fortean Times, a magazine of anomalous phenomena, in 1973 and has written hundreds of articles on a wide range of topic. ... Mike Dash (b. ... Remote viewing (RV) is a broad term for a variety of techniques or protocols employed to produce and control extra-sensory perception (ESP). ... Joseph McMoneagle (Born January 10, 1946, Miami, Florida) is known for his involvement in the development of Remote Viewing by U.S. Army Intelligence and the Stanford Research Institute. ... Dean Radin is a researcher in parapsychology. ... Channeling can refer to Channeling (physics) Channeling (mediumistic), a term used in reference to the process of receiving messages or inspiration from invisible beings or spirits This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

See also

Anomalous operation Anomalous operation, also known as anomalous perturbation, is a term describing a broad category of purported paranormal effects that can best be described as subject A stating an intent or goal to influence system B, and system B then changing appropriately through unknown or unverifiable means. ...

External links

• FortFest-the world's longest-running (1961) and most prestigious conference on anomalous phenomena
• The Fortean Times
• The Anomalist - resource monitoring latest strange news and book releases.
• The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
• The Randi Paranormal Challenge
• The Society for Psychical Research - Founded in London in 1882