The Water Intention Experiment

[Blue Wode]

For those interested, the ‘Water Intention Experiment’, which hopes to create “holy healings waters” by the power of thought alone, is to take place on 26th April 2008 at 5pm GMT. Rustum Roy (see here http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=88831) and Manju Roe, his senior scientist, will be carrying out the experiment.

Rustum Roy:



“Besides being physically necessary to life, since ancient times, water has been closely associated with the psyche, intuition and healing, and many ancient cultures acknowledge that the great flow of life is absolutely and inextricably linked to water. Although this link has been ignored by modern medical research, most religious traditions give water a key place in their rituals — from baptisms and anointing to special blessings.

“It may well be that these blessings, given with true loving intentions, actually change the structure – hence the properties – of water. That is the basis of our experiment.

-snip-

“In our proposed experiment, we aim to examine whether we can structure water with intention alone. We’ll be monitoring any change against control using analytical tools such as spectroscopy.

“What’s most interesting about our experiment is that we will be examining any changes through intentions by unequivocal, well-established, universally accepted physico-chemical techniques. In this experiment, we’ll be using the Raman spectra, named after the Indian physicist Nobel laureate who discovered it.”

More…

‘Making water holy’
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178:BlogPost:92122


If you wish to take part, it’s not too late to sign up. ::)

[Acleron]

Interesting. A completely uncontrolled experiment and a scientist who has already produced dodgy data. I'd say the chances of producing a successful outcome is approximately 100% :shocked:

[bobdezon]

I concur ;D

[vbloke]

A quick look at the "scientists tell you all you need to know about how strictly controlled this is going to be...




Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp
A German physicist and founder of the International Institute of Biophysics in Neuss, Germany, credited with the discovery of biophoton emissions – tiny currents of light emanating from living things. He is an Invited Member of the New York Academy of Sciences and a member of the International Consciousness Research Laboratory (ICRL) at Princeton University. He has written some 150 publications on theoretical physics, biology, complementary medicine and biophotons.
http://www.theintentionexperiment.com/images/scientists/popp.jpg



Dr. Gary Schwartz

Professor of psychology, medicine, neurology, psychiatry and surgery at the University of Arizona, director of its Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health and also director of the National Institutes of Medicine-funded Center for Frontier Medicine in Biofield Science. Author of more than 400 scientific papers, co-editor of 11 academic books, and author of The Afterlife Experiments and The Living Energy Universe and The G.O.D. Experiments and The Energy Healing Experiments.
http://www.theintentionexperiment.com/images/scientists/Gary_head_shot_widejpeg.gif



Dr. Marilyn Schlitz, PhD

Vice President for Research and Education at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and Senior Scientist at the Research Institute at the California Pacific Medical Center. One of the US’s foremost researchers on consciousness and intentionality Schlitz has published over two-hundred papers and conducted research at Stanford University, the Institute for Parapsychology, and the Mind Science Foundation. She serves on Scientific Program Committee for the Consciousness Center at the University of Arizona, Tucson.
http://www.theintentionexperiment.com/images/scientists/marylinschlitz.jpg



Dean Radin, PhD

One of America’s foremost researchers into the nature of consciousness and extended human potential. In 2000 he co-founded the Boundary Institute; since 2001 he’s been Senior Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. At Stanford Research Institute he worked on the progenitor of what is now popularly known as the psi research program codenamed StarGate. Author of The Conscious Universe (1997, HarperCollins), Entangled Minds (Simon & Schuster, 2006), and more than 200 journal articles and technical reports.
http://www.theintentionexperiment.com/images/scientists/radin.jpg



Rupert Sheldrake

A biologist and author of more than 75 scientific papers and 10 books, including Seven Experiments That Could Change the World, Dogs that Know their Owners are Returning Home, and The Sense of Being Stared At. A former Research Fellow of the Royal Society, he received his Ph D in biochemistry from Cambridge, where he took a Ph.D. in biochemistry and carried out research on the development of plants and the ageing of cells. He is the current Perrott-Warrick Scholar and Director of the Perrott-Warrick Project.
http://www.theintentionexperiment.com/images/scientists/sheldrake.jpg



Konstantin Korotkov

Konstantin Korotkov, the Russian physicist who invented GDV equipment, which is modern-day Kirlian photography in real time. He has demonstrated – in real time - the power of positive intention on water and between couples, and also the extraordinary effects of ‘power spots’ like crop circles.
http://www.theintentionexperiment.com/images/scientists/korotkov.jpg

it's a veritable who's who of woo

[Acleron]

I only read as far as Rustam. The rest are just as wonderful.

Just imagine the conversation when they get together.

Sheldrake: Dogs know when their owner is about to come home. It's a positive proof of the morphogenic field theory.

Schwartz: No, it's the living energy in the universe.

Rustam: No, no, it's all in the water.

[bobdezon]

It is surely the influence of Merda Juvencus?

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp
I misread that as Poop first time.

[SKIRRID5]

Will the final solution contain as much intention as a homeopathic dose does of the active chemical?

[dalriada]

I know this is childish of me, but I cannot read the name "Marilyn Schlitz" without inwardly snickering.

I wonder what her porn name* is?

I must know.

(*You get your porn star name by using the first pet you had as the first name and the first street you lived on for your surname)

[ZERO]

So..I'd be... Smokie Tumbarumba?

:undecided:

[JJM]

I note that they plan to use Raman spectroscopy, alone, this time. When they used UV-Vis (along with it) last year, it was immediately obvious that they were incompetent
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WXX-4RJXWNR-H&_user=10&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2008&_rdoc=15&_fmt=full&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info%28%23toc%237170%232008%23999029998%23678364%2 3FLA%23display%23Volume%29&_cdi=7170&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=26&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=43bde5d3d7adff0d8168cefb2f8f100b

Raman is a more esoteric method, there are far fewer people who use and understand it. Plus, it is quite sensitive and, therefore, noisy. That provides many opportunities for Roy to point to random variations and claim they are the "expected" changes.

[Blue Wode]

Just a reminder for those interested. You can find a countdown clock to tomorrow’s Intention Experiment here:
http://www.theintentionexperiment.com/

And this new post gives an explanation of how the experiment will be run:
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A94693

[Graham Lappin]

Just a reminder for those interested. You can find a countdown clock to tomorrow’s Intention Experiment here:
http://www.theintentionexperiment.com/

And this new post gives an explanation of how the experiment will be run:
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A94693

I note that the experimenters say "What if it doesn’t work? That doesn’t necessarily mean intention doesn’t work" mmm - is this not a prelude to a non-falsifiable theory?

[Graham Lappin]

Raman is a more esoteric method, there are far fewer people who use and understand it. Plus, it is quite sensitive and, therefore, noisy. That provides many opportunities for Roy to point to random variations and claim they are the "expected" changes.

Personally I would use Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, that way I could detect changes in the electromagnetic environment of 1H in the water. On the other hand if no changes were detected (the outcome with the highest probability) I could claim that the energy of our collective thoughts was unable to penetrate the magnetic field. Perfect.

[Blue Wode]

A small update.

Feedback from some of those participating in yesterday's experiment can be found here:
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=848178%3ATopic%3A96821

Apparently Rustum Roy's team will have the results available next week.

[Blue Wode]

The first feedback has just been published:



Unusual calibrations

Although the scientists are not finished examining their data, they have told me one thing: they’ve seen results they’ve never seen before with their equipment.

One reason it is taking so long is that our water had a great deal of variation an hour before the experiment was run. This could mean that our anticipation of the event began to affect the water. Or it could mean that our hypothesis is wrong.

Or it could mean that with intention, we are emanating an energy like a Qigong master, which is being picked up by the spectroscopy before the event.


More...
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A97963

[vbloke]

The first feedback has just been published:
Unusual calibrations

Although the scientists are not finished examining their data, they have told me one thing: they’ve seen results they’ve never seen before with their equipment.

One reason it is taking so long is that our water had a great deal of variation an hour before the experiment was run. This could mean that our anticipation of the event began to affect the water. Or it could mean that our hypothesis is wrong.

Or it could mean that with intention, we are emanating an energy like a Qigong master, which is being picked up by the spectroscopy before the event.


More...
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.c...ogPost%3A97963 (http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A97963)
Ahhhh, the post-hoc, it burns...

[Graham Lappin]

One reason it is taking so long is that our water had a great deal of variation an hour before the experiment was run. This could mean that our anticipation of the event began to affect the water.

... or it could have been electronic noise .... or it could mean that there was spontaneous Raman scattering that took an hour to settle down.

Or it could mean that our hypothesis is wrong.

More likely, but I don't actually see why variation in the measurement proves or disproves anything.

Or it could mean that with intention, we are emanating an energy like a Qigong master, which is being picked up by the spectroscopy before the event.

Or it could mean the water pixies were mischievous that day

... or it could mean they are all stark raving mad!

Occam's razor rather points to the latter.

[Mongrel]

Nothing like getting your excuses set up before hand though ;D

[Blue Wode]

You can find a brief scientific appraisal of the evidence so far here:
http://hawk-handsaw.blogspot.com/2008/05/rustum-roys-intention-experiment-we-are.html (http://hawk-handsaw.blogspot.com/2008/05/rustum-roys-intention-experiment-we-are.html)

[JJM]

The first feedback has just been published:
Although the scientists are not finished examining their data, they have told me one thing: they’ve seen results they’ve never seen before with their equipment.Enrico Fermi observed that "expected" results are mere measurements; whereas unexpected results are "discoveries." In practice, unexpected results are usually attributable to faults in instruments or failure of experimental controls. Given these experimenters' history, I suspect both.

[dalriada]

Enrico Fermi observed that "expected" results are mere measurements; whereas unexpected results are "discoveries." In practice, unexpected results are usually attributable to faults in instruments or failure of experimental controls. Given these experimenters' history, I suspect both.

More than likely, but I think we should all give more consideration to Bunny's "water pixies" hypothesis.

Fairies are a sadly over-looked and neglected area of modern parapsychology, and I might even tentatively suggest that the Rustom-Roy failure to give due respect to the ancient customs of the water pixie tribes and to conduct the 'experiments' in full respect of their rights as indigenous (And forgotten) fairy-folk is in fact a form of covert racism.

Down with this sort of thing!

[Graham Lappin]

More than likely, but I think we should all give more consideration to Bunny's "water pixies" hypothesis.

Sign in my local sweet shop "pixie and mixie" - reminded me to check the message boards.

[Blue Wode]

Still no official results from the Water Intention Experiment, but apparently there’s been some exciting news about the Germination Intention Experiments:

While we’re awaiting our results of the Water Structure Intention Experiment, I just heard some exciting news from Dr. Gary Schwartz about our Intention Experiment Germination Experiments.

Dr. Schwartz has analyzed all six of our experiments and combined them into results that will be presented and published at the Society for Scientific Exploration’s meeting on June 25-28.

Schwartz combined the results of all six experiments and discovered a highly significant result, demonstrating the power of intention to make plants grow faster and higher.

Firstly, we know that the intention had a robust effect. The seeds sent intention grew 8 millimetres higher than the controls. But we have other, fascinating results, suggesting that intention may have a ‘scatter’ effect, affecting everything on the days it is sent, even if the highest effect is reserved for the actual target.

More…
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A98949 (http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A98949)


Watch out Baby Bio.

[Blue Wode]

The results are now in and are inconclusive:
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A100388 (http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A100388)

Apparently the protocol is to be refined and the experiment is to be repeated in two month’s time.

[Cuddles]

Excuse me while I have a heart attack and die of not surprise.

[Blue Wode]

Apparently the protocol is to be refined and the experiment is to be repeated in two month’s time.


…when the entire ‘elephant’ will be unveiled:
http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A101204 (http://theintentionexperiment.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=848178%3ABlogPost%3A101204)