Scopaesthesia and the Nature of Visual Perception Rupert Sheldrake, PhD

The sense of being stared at, or scopaesthesia, is well known; surveys show that up to 95% of people have experienced it.  It is also common in animals. Numerous randomized tests have shown that people can detect when they are being stared at from behind. Not surprisingly, some people are better at this than others, and children under the age of 9 seem more sensitive than adults.  This sensitivity can be trained, as in martial arts programs, and a new app enables anyone interested to try and improve their own abilities.  Recent studies have shown that scopaesthesia is usually directional; the person or animal stared at turns around and looks directly at the starer.  It also seems to work much better when coupled to direct vision than when people’s images are looked at on screens and in mirrors.  Scopaesthesia implies that influences move outward from the eyes of the looker and are somehow detected by the person or animal looked at, but no one yet knows how this happens.  This familiar phenomenon has profound implications for our understanding of the nature of vision and of extended minds.

Rupert Sheldrake, PhD is a biologist and author of nine books and more than 100 papers in peer reviewed journals.  After studying natural sciences at Cambridge and history and philosophy of science at Harvard.  He worked on plant development for his PhD at Cambridge University. He was subsequently a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and a Research Fellow of the Royal Society.  He was then Principal Plant Physiologist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Hyderabad, India.  From 2005 to 2010 he was the Perrott-Warrick senior researcher, funded from Trinity College, Cambridge for research on unexplained human and animal abilities.  He is a Fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, in California, of Schumacher College, in Devon, England and of the Temenos Academy, in London.  His website is sheldrake.org.

We are excited to invite new Student, Associate, or Full Members in the Society for Scientific Exploration (SSE)—a community dedicated to pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge and fostering innovative research since 1982.
 
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James Houran, Ph.D.
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SSE 2024—A Great Shift: Consciousness, Healing, and Reality (September 27-29th)

Dr. Margaret Moga (Program Chair) and the Program Committee have arranged an online event not to be missed!  SSE is unique among professional organizations for its diverse focus on, and integration of, various topics in frontier science and anomalistics.  Where other organizations might see demarcations or barriers, we see bridges. Like-minded researchers, authors, and students are therefore warmly invited to attend the upcoming conference. Details are soon forthcoming!

Meanwhile, please have a sneak peek at a few of the many fascinating talks that are scheduled over the 3-day event:

SIGIL: Scientific Investigation of Gazing with Intention at Light

Dean Radin, Chief Scientist, Institute of Noetic Sciences

Solar Outbursts and the Demise of an Early Cycle of Civilization: Ramifications for Today

Robert M. Schoch, Director, Institute for the Study of the Origins of Civilization, Boston University

Paranormal Folklore in Western Georgia: A Critical Narrative Analysis of Apparitions

Jacob Glazier, Assistant Professor, University of West Georgia

Successful Replication of Three of Nikola Tesla's Devices Today Regarded as Lost or "Impossible”

William Beaty, Research Engineer, University of Washington - Seattle

Attitude Change in Response to an Anomalous Mass Sighting Event: The Phoenix Lights

Russell Scalpone, Research Director, Organization for Paranormal Understanding & Support (OPUS)

...And so much more!  Please join us in supporting open-minded science, not scientism by becoming a Full, Associate, or Student Member today: https://www.scientificexploration.org/join-us

SSE members will be pleased to know their support of our education and research efforts certainly makes important impacts. This includes bringing frontier science topics and findings to mainstream audiences. For instance, JSE has been in the news recently with two of its articles from recent issues...

Congratulations to Ross Fellowes! A London Daily Mail’s article (https://shorturl.at/XYrug) recently highlighted his study published in JSE’s Spring 2024 issue, which concluded that the seemingly mysterious deaths related to the “Pharaoh’s Curse” placed on some Egyptian tombs were caused by radiation poisoning from natural elements containing uranium and toxic waste that were deliberately placed inside the sealed vaults.

Congratulations to Rupert Sheldrake who appeared in the Daily Mail talking about his recent research on end-of-life experiences with pets that was  published in the Spring 2023 issue of JSE. Readers can enjoy the news article for free at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13552249/pets-know-die-wish-emotional-farewell-Im-convinced-stories-prove-eminent-biologist-RUPERT-SHELDRAKE.html

As the landscape of academic publishing evolves, it has become evident that  sustaining the integrity and quality of scholarly journals necessitates innovative approaches.  The implementation of APCs is a proactive step towards securing the longevity and vitality of academic publishing platforms. Therefore, all papers (except for “Book & Multimedia Reviews” and “Correspondence”) received as of 1 June 2024 and accepted for JSE publication for 2025 and beyond will incur a fee of USD $250.00 for “corresponding authors” who are non-SSE members and USD $150.00 for “corresponding authors” who are SSE members in good standing (apply for membership at: https://www.scientificexploration.org/join). Note that authors’ personal, non-reimbursed payments toward publication costs are tax deductible in the United States. These modest APCs—while helping to offset operational expenses—also align with the principle of shared responsibility within academia. By contributing to publication costs, authors invest in the dissemination of their research findings and support the accessibility of knowledge to a wider audience.

JSE has ended print publications with the Spring 2024 issue in favor of a fully online (but printable) format. This approach offers several advantages, including (a) greater cost effectiveness, (b) wider accessibility, (c) increased visibility and impact, (d) accelerated discovery and faster publication times, (e) enhanced collaboration and interactivity, and (f) robust archiving and preservation practices. Note that readers will still be able to print articles or full issues on their own. More detailed information about the impact of this change will be sent soon to current print subscribers.