SSE’s April Babies are in Good Company

• April 15, 1452: The legendary “Renaissance man” Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was born. This renowned artist, inventor, and scientist famously studied anatomy, optics, and even flight, as well as left behind detailed drawings and notes that demonstrate his keen observational skills and innovative thinking.

Of course, history is full of fascinating and mysterious figures. For instance, JSE’s Summer 2023 special issue was devoted to the Shakespeare Authorship Question (SAQ), or the provocative hypothesis that the works attributed to the famous bard were not written by the historic man from Stratford Upon Avon. You can explore the SAQ mystery here: https://journalofscientificexploration.org/index.php/jse/issue/view/93 

• April 25, 1953: This date is recognized as National DNA Day, because it was when James Watson and Francis Crick formally announced their discovery of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in a short letter published in the journal, Nature.

Mysteries of science, chemistry, and biology certainly still persist. For instance, the issue of JSE’s Spring 2023 issue featured a study that tested whether water infused with “healing intention” using a special device could help COVID-19 patients. Those who received the treated water showed better health, fewer symptoms, and fewer positive tests compared to those who got regular water. Read more here: https://doi.org/10.31275/20232837 

Scientific progress is often sparked by bold ideas that challenge convention. Throughout history, breakthroughs—from Galileo’s heliocentric model to the discovery of continental drift—emerged not from immediate acceptance but from the willingness to explore the unconventional. Yet, in today’s research landscape, many novel ideas struggle to find a foothold within mainstream scientific discourse, where rigor and replication are prioritized over speculation and risk-taking.

Niche scientific journals like the SSE’s Journal of Scientific Exploration play a crucial role in fostering these unorthodox ideas. Much like innovation labs in leading tech companies, they provide a space for high-risk, high-reward research to take root, undergo scrutiny, and mature into transformative contributions. Without such platforms, many pioneering ideas might never see the light of day. These journals therefore create an environment where scholars can explore theoretical frontiers without the immediate pressure of empirical validation—an essential step in the innovation pipeline.

Beyond serving as incubators for unorthodox hypotheses, these platforms also help to cultivate intellectual communities. Many scientific fields have ‘underground’ spaces—whether informal discussions at conferences, specialized online forums, or private exchanges among researchers—where emerging ideas gain early traction. Niche journals act as bridges between these informal conversations and formalized academic scrutiny, helping to refine radical ideas into structured, testable theories.

However, maintaining this balance between openness and rigor is essential. Without careful editorial oversight, the line between bold exploration and unscientific speculation can blur. Lessons from both scientific publishing and the tech industry show that structured frameworks—such as transparent review processes and iterative feedback—are critical for ensuring that unconventional research remains credible. By embracing these principles, niche journals can continue to serve as vital catalysts for intellectual progress.

As we look ahead, it is imperative that we support and engage with these platforms. Encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue, rigorous yet fair critique, and an open-minded approach to scientific exploration will help bridge the gap between speculation and established knowledge. The history of science teaches us that today’s radical ideas can become tomorrow’s accepted truths—but only if we create the conditions for them to flourish.

Together, we at SSE can champion a future where curiosity, courage, and creativity drive discovery.

Warmly,

James Houran, Ph.D.

Interim-President, SSE
Editor-in-Chief, JSE

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JSE’s 2025 Spring Issue Online Now

We hope you take time now to review JSE’s latest issue: https://journalofscientificexploration.org/index.php/jse 

Readers will enjoy lots of diverse and intriguing content, including a special joint editorial highlighting the innovative Frontier Journalists Network, research on the concept of psi-encoded information, a case study of a boy who could perceive colored fields, a report on reported "after-death communications" involving animals, and an investigation of "Haunted People Syndrome"--a new theory about why certain people experience recurrent perceptions of ghostly phenomena.

Plus, read essays on diverse topics like decolonizing the phenomenon of possession, the concept of non-probabilistic futures, and the odd history of commercial bread, as well as several intriguing book reviews.

Revised Date for SSE’s 43rd Annual Conference: September 20-21, 2025

This year’s Annual conference is an online event centered on “Exploring the Unexplained.” We changed the conference dates to give presenters and attendees as much flexibility as possible. Please mark your calendars now!

And, have an idea for a submission? Please read more here: https://www.scientificexploration.org/2025-Call-for-Abstracts 

Intriguing Results from SSE’s “Encounter” Webinar – Remote Viewing Unlocked!
(a report from Dr. Debra Lynne Katz)

On March 19th, 2025, I had the honor of leading a live Zoom workshop for SSE called Remote Viewing Unlocked: Try It Yourself! This unique hands-on event brought together people from all over the world who were curious to experience remote viewing firsthand—or looking to deepen their existing skills.

To kick things off, I shared how the definition of remote viewing has evolved over the years. One thing I’ve noticed in both academic and practical circles is that there’s a wide range of interpretations. So, during the session, I introduced a continuum model that I’ve developed to help make sense of the different approaches.

At one end of the spectrum, remote viewing can be defined loosely—as spontaneous clairvoyant insight or quick tuning-in sessions that aren’t bound by formal structure. On the other end are highly controlled scientific protocols that involve strict blinding, secret taskings, and clearly defined roles to avoid any leakage or bias. Somewhere in the middle are less formal but still structured group experiments—like the one we did during this workshop.

And this brings me to what turned out to be the most memorable part of the afternoon: a classic “outbounder” experiment. For this, I asked my partner, Danny, to serve as our “beacon”—the person who physically travels to an unknown location that the rest of the group attempts to perceive remotely. And let me tell you, Danny made real sacrifices for science! As our session began, he dashed out into a cold rain and stood for quite some time on a concrete bridge just across the street from our home on Duncan Island. The bridge is the only way to drive from the island to the mainland, and its stark, simple structure made it a great target:

There’s something about having a live human at a target site that seems to amplify the signal. "Outbounder" targets often yield stronger results than static photo targets, possibly because they involve real-time emotional and energetic imprints. In our case, I believe that having Danny helped participants to tune in more deeply.

While the session was “single-blind” (I knew the target location, but the participants didn’t), and some participants turned in their transcripts after the event was over (as opposed to prior to receiving feedback, which would be essential for a formal study) it still emulated a group remote viewing experiment. The protocols were looser than formal lab conditions but structured enough to encourage focused, intentional viewing—squarely in the middle of the RV spectrum I described earlier.

And some of the results were rather impressive...

Daqing (Daching) Piaos, SSE’s Treasurer and an active RV researcher, submitted a sketch of a road:

Later, he offered this reflection: “At the time of perceiving, I felt like looking at a divided highway while standing in the medium, but the road seems to not reach the far end, and the two sides representing the AOL roads shrink in size much more than that corresponding to a far-away perspective.”

Another SSE board member submitted a sketch strikingly similar to Daqing’s—both drawings captured aspects of the concrete bridge where Danny had been standing, including its linear structure and orientation:

Then came Dr. Julian Northey, an SSE member, who submitted a more detailed drawing that strongly matched Danny’s exact location. Dr. Northey’s sketch showed elements that mirrored the real environment and layout with striking clarity:

This workshop reminded me—and hopefully everyone who attended—how powerful it can be to create space for intuitive exploration in a collaborative and open environment. Whether you’re brand-new to remote viewing or decades into the practice, there’s always more to discover. And sometimes, all it takes is a leap of consciousness—and faith—to discover you can do it too.

“Demonic Possession:” Prepare for SSE’s next "Anomalies 101" Webinar

Please plan to join us this July for our next captivating talk by an actual Vatican-affiliated scientist, who will explore the latest research on “demonic (or diabolical) possession.” This sinister topic lies at the intersection of consciousness studies, cultural anthropology, and the unexplained.

Are diabolical possessions real, or do they stem from altered brain states, deep-seated beliefs, or something beyond science? This unprecedented discussion ─ to be given in both Spanish and English ─ examines cutting-edge case studies, neurological insights, and historical accounts, challenging what we think we know about the mind, the supernatural, and the power of belief.

Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this session might leave you questioning your own assumptions about the nature or limits of reality. Stay tuned for registration details!

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Meet Damon Abraham, a Ph.D. experimental psychologist with a research background in emotion, self-regulation, and mental representation. His parapsychological interests span non-local consciousness (e.g., OBEs and NDEs), non-local perception (remote viewing and precognition), and non-local influence (REGs, PK phenomena). His work explores the intersection of consciousness, psychic phenomena, and technology (especially artificial intelligence) and how these relate to transformative experiences, human potential, and personal growth.

Damon gave his first SSE presentation in 2015, receiving the Young Investigator Award. Since then, he has presented at ICC, IRVA, IANDS, and multiple other SSE conferences. He currently leads several collaborative research projects, including an IONS-sponsored effort to develop an open-source image stimulus database for use in remote viewing and consciousness studies. His recent work focuses on AI-driven remote viewing (AI-RV) and he serves as Principal Research Scientist at Entangled.org, a collective consciousness platform using a quantum random event generator (REG) to run large-scale user-driven experiments.

A long-time contributor to the consciousness community, Damon previously organized the Denver chapter of IANDS, co-founded the Consciousness Technologies group at the University of Denver, and served on the board of Consciousness Hacking Colorado. He currently serves as an elected council member of the SSE. Let’s hear more about his story…

Please talk about your career journey and what led you to your current work.

My career journey has been somewhat meandering but deeply guided by a persistent curiosity about consciousness and human potential. As an undergraduate, I studied both video production and psychology, driven by a fascination with the psychology of film and early ambitions of becoming an independent filmmaker. After college, I worked in sales, lending, and management consulting while continuing to explore filmmaking on the side.

However, my longstanding interests in psychology, spirituality, and consciousness combined with a few personal experiences with the occult—ultimately led me down a different path. I became involved with a nonprofit that focused on out-of-body experiences (OBEs) and volunteered with them while exploring my own lucid OBEs with techniques to induce OBEs myself. After several lucid experiences of my own, I felt compelled to investigate these phenomena more rigorously, which led me to pursue a PhD in psychology. My goal was to gain a strong foundation in scientific research methods while keeping the door open to explore anomalous and transformative experiences.

During graduate school, I was introduced to the SSE and began presenting theoretical work at the annual conferences. These experiences were formative. Through the SSE, I met several mentor figures who encouraged me to continue following this unconventional path and who helped connect me to the field and who would become future collaborators. While my academic research remained grounded in mainstream topics like emotion and mental representation, I always sought ways to explore parapsychological questions and to bridge both domains.

After earning my Ph.D., I taught as an adjunct professor before being recruited into industry as a user-experience researcher at a major tech company. Around the same time, I became closely involved with my friend Adam Curry’s consciousness project at Entangled.org, which has been rapidly growing since its quiet launch in 2024. This work at the intersection of consciousness research, psychic phenomena, and technology has been a natural evolution of my journey and feels like a culmination of many threads I’ve been following for years.

What do you find most rewarding about your research in frontier science?

There are several aspects of frontier science that I find extraordinarily rewarding. At the forefront are the relationships I've made and collaborations within the community of researchers and beyond. I find the people drawn to these research fields uniquely inspiring as they strike a delicate balance between open-minded curiosity and scientific rigor, creativity and discernment. Many of them have made courageous choices, often at great personal or professional expense to pursue their research. I have deep admiration for the luminaries who endured tremendous ostracism and professional risk when laying the foundations in this field. Thanks to their efforts, the landscape feels more open and supportive today than in previous decades.

On a personal level, I find immense satisfaction in seeing my research become useful to others. I thrive in collaborative environments where knowledge and tools are shared freely, and I take joy in contributing to the success of my colleagues. Some of the most fulfilling moments in my work have come from seeing joint efforts take shape—whether as published findings or open tools for the broader research community. The mutual support I’ve received, both intellectually and materially, has been essential to this work, and it’s gratifying to give back in kind.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?

Quite candidly, the biggest challenge I face is time. There are so many compelling directions to follow that it is difficult to discern the single most important thing to do right now. And the paradox of becoming useful is that it attracts a growing number of competing requests for time, energy, and attention. Knowing what to say “No” to becomes as important as knowing where to lean in.

At the same time, full-time, paid opportunities in frontier science remain exceedingly rare. Consequently, I’ve had to find creative ways to maintain a robust research portfolio within the margins between my day job, family time, and household obligations while becoming more deliberate about where I invest my scarcely available time.

This makes progress often feel frustratingly slow, though I “try” to embrace the long arc of this work. Perhaps the greater challenge is maintaining the correct perspective. Although progress in the moment feels grinding, when I look back over the past decade, I'm also happy with how far things have progressed.

How has being a part of SSE benefited you both professionally and personally?

At my very first SSE conference in 2015, I found myself up in the wee hours, deep in conversation with brilliant, open-minded thinkers and I knew I had found my intellectual tribe. The relationships I’ve built through the SSE have been the single greatest benefit of my involvement. Since that first conference, the SSE has served as a home base for my research. It’s the community I turn to for support, candid feedback, and rigorous critique. It is a rare forum where I can share unconventional work and be met with open arms and no kid gloves.

As an umbrella organization, SSE draws together people from a diverse range of disciplines resulting in synergies unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere. Professionally, the SSE has been instrumental in showing me how to navigate and publish outside the boundaries of traditional academia. It’s where I’ve found collaborators, mentors, and models for what a meaningful research life can look like in the frontier sciences. More than anything, being part of this community has offered me a steady reassurance in the work that I do.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in frontier science?

The last time I saw Dr. Robert Jahn, co-founder of both the SSE and the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Lab, was at the 2017 SSE conference at Yale. I had a brief conversation with him and a young attendee who asked if he had any sage advice for newcomers to the field. Without hesitation, Bob said, “Don’t waste precious time trying to convince the skeptics.” He explained that no matter how compelling your data, it won’t satisfy those who have already made up their minds about how reality works. Looking back, he reflected on how much further he might’ve gone if he’d spent less energy defending his research and more time pushing the frontier forward.

I took his words to heart. To me, it’s about focusing your limited time and energy on what you do want to build—rather than what you’re afraid of, like criticism or professional alienation. That doesn’t mean abandoning rigor or sound methodology. It simply means not letting the opinions of detractors dictate your path.

Another formative moment came at my very first SSE conference in 2015, during a breakout session for aspiring investigators. Several senior members shared that the proper path into frontier science required a Ph.D., tenure, and decades of academic credibility before you could finally pursue these interests. But Brenda Dunne, co-founder of both PEAR and SSE—disagreed. To paraphrase her: “That’s bullshit.” Brenda never earned a Ph.D. yet became one of the most pivotal figures in the field. Her advice was clear: don’t wait. Whether you’re a tenured professor, graduate student, or citizen scientist, there’s a place for you in this work. Find a way to contribute now, in whatever capacity you can. As Anthony Robbins would say, “When would NOW be a good time for you?”

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A Farewell Funny

There are ten kinds of people in this world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.