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Virtual Reality Gaming System Tests for Telepathy

Big Ben writes "UK scientists have built a virtual computer world designed to test telepathic ability. Approximately 100 participants will take part in the group gaming experiment at the University of Manchester which aims to test whether telepathy exists between individuals using the system. The project will also look at how telepathic abilities may vary depending on the relationships which exist between participants." Note: for their sakes, I hope they succeed in proving anything paranormal's going on — if they can reproduce such a result, it could earn them the $1 million prize long offered by the James Randi Educational Foundation.

21 of 649 comments (clear)

  1. Odd feeling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Something tells me this isn't going to work.

    1. Re:Odd feeling by nuzak · · Score: 3, Funny

      > There is more to this world than meets eye or any other 4 senses for that matter.

      Prove it. But hey, I bet you predicted that response.

      --
      Done with slashdot, done with nerds, getting a life.
    2. Re:Odd feeling by AvitarX · · Score: 2, Funny

      I got 2 out of 25. Far worse than guessing would predict.

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  2. I know what you're thinking by Digitus1337 · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're thinking that nobody will ever win that $1 million. I think I might be on to something...

    1. Re:I know what you're thinking by raehl · · Score: 4, Funny

      It won't work. The James Randi Educational Foundation has psychics on staff who have all forseen that the prize won't be claimed.

    2. Re:I know what you're thinking by Kesch · · Score: 2, Funny
      I think I might be on to something...


      I sense that you were thinking that you were onto something around the time of Monday July 17, @05:24PM.

      Not only am I psychic, I can read thoughts from other points of time!
      --
      If this signature is witty enough, maybe somebody will like me.
    3. Re:I know what you're thinking by Thing+1 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Actually, Randi is the fraud.

      I went to Florida to pass the test. My forte is precognition. I told him, "You're not going to give me the money."

      I was right! He still didn't pay.

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
  3. 1 word! by GroinSniper · · Score: 1, Funny

    Scanners! How long before Daryl Revok enters?

  4. Re:Do you think telepathy exists? by gardyloo · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you were told that the only way you could have an ability such as telapthy would be to eliminate your attachments and improve your moral quality (given a moral standard of course), would you set out in achieving it?

            Of course! Attachments are evil and lead to viruses on your computers.

  5. Re:Science Fiction by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 4, Funny

    Even if this experiment doesn't pan out, there are other viable challengers to The Amazing Randi. Behold, the Power of the Vagina !

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  6. Do they really need a computer? by MrNash · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess this is somehow more affective than playing a game of "Pick a number between one and ten"..."Seven".."OMG! You're we're telepathic! Yay!" :p

  7. Re:Paranormal research also at respected instituti by Kesch · · Score: 2, Funny

    By your definition, the difference between kook and scientist is the amount of funding they get.

    --
    If this signature is witty enough, maybe somebody will like me.
  8. VENKMAN BURN IN HELL by exley · · Score: 4, Funny

    If all of the people who are found to be "telepathic" are hot girls, I'm gonna have to call bullshit on this one.

    Wait, gaming? Okay, what I said above probably won't be an issue.

  9. This is easy by geekwithsoul · · Score: 3, Funny

    Just go to console and type:

    sv_cheats 1

    enable telepathy

    duh!

  10. Re:Tax payer money at work by vux984 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think Lucas misspelled it and called it 'midichlorians' or some pap like that..

    Its not entirely his fault, he's been clearly been ingesting too much chlorian... er chlorine from his pool for years now. I suspect was part of a conspiracy to sap and impurify his precious bodily fluids.

    That and fluoridation ;)

  11. It's called the Force... by Kyle_Katarn-(ISF) · · Score: 4, Funny

    There is no such thing as "ESP". It is simply the Force. All around you, the Force is. Many things that we as humans cannot explain are quite simple really. Many of us are capable of touching the Force, some moreso than others.

  12. Hot chicks prove there is no telepathy by Sesticulus · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've never been slapped walking down the street, sitting in a meeting, etc., etc.

    Invariably if I'm in a public place, there will be someone I find attractive and I will think "hey now". I've never had someone come up and slap me for thinking rude thoughts, so at the very least, women I find attractive, as a rule, do not have telepathy.

  13. Keep up the good fight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    There are powerful psychics out there that chose not to reveal themselves because as soon as they do the government either recruits them into a top secret organisation or they are "disappeared".

    My proof of this is that there are no pyschics who have come forward with evidence of their powers. The government then uses these psychics to mass control the populations of their own and other countries - which is why the war in iraq is going so well.

    Keep up the good fight my friend. Don't let the lack of evidence dissuade you from your one true path. Who needs "science" when you've got such a strong belief. Any day now cargo planes will be landing on my air strip on my Melanesian island, I just know it.

  14. Re:Tax payer money at work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    PS: My sisters are twins. They often claim to have Psychic powers for the purpose of fucking with people

    How does one go about meeting your sisters?

  15. Re:Try the ESP Game by Speare · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dang, and I thought I was a psychic when I was able to confirm that my friend was typing "EC34J8" when I was presented a grainy scratchy .gif of those very letters! It just captchas the imagination, don't it?

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    [ .sig file not found ]
  16. Re:Tax payer money at work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    PS: My sisters are twins. They often claim to have Psychic powers for the purpose of fucking with people.

    Sounds interesting...I would be available for some more testing with your twin sisters...