Remote Viewing Research
The scientific study of claimed extrasensory perception allowing individuals to describe distant or hidden targets, researched by governments and academic institutions.
OVERVIEW
Remote viewing is the claimed ability to perceive information about a distant or hidden target using extrasensory perception. The term was coined by parapsychologists at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in the 1970s. The phenomenon was studied by the U.S. government under Project Stargate and by academic researchers at SRI, Princeton PEAR Lab, and the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Proponents point to statistically significant results in controlled laboratory experiments. Skeptics argue the results are artifacts of statistical methodology, inadequate blinding, or selective reporting. The debate continues with no settled consensus.
KNOWN FACTS
SRI research under Puthoff and Targ reported significant results in controlled settings
PEAR Lab conducted millions of trials showing tiny but statistically significant effects
Ganzfeld experiments across multiple labs show hit rates above chance expectation
The CIA's own 1995 review acknowledged statistically significant results
Meta-analyses of parapsychology experiments show overall significant effect sizes
CLAIMS
Controlled experiments have produced statistically significant results supporting remote viewing
The ganzfeld telepathy experiments show a replicable effect across multiple laboratories
Some individuals consistently outperform chance in blinded target identification
The SRI and PEAR Lab experiments met academic publication standards
Remote viewing has been successfully used for intelligence and archaeological applications
EVIDENCE FOR
SRI research under Puthoff and Targ reported significant results in controlled settings
PEAR Lab conducted millions of trials showing tiny but statistically significant effects
Ganzfeld experiments across multiple labs show hit rates above chance expectation
The CIA's own 1995 review acknowledged statistically significant results
Meta-analyses of parapsychology experiments show overall significant effect sizes
EVIDENCE AGAINST
Lack of a theoretical mechanism violates established principles of physics
Publication bias may inflate the apparent effect: null results are rarely published
Replication failures by skeptical researchers cast doubt on the effect
The ganzfeld effect disappears under stricter methodological controls
Successful demonstrations have not led to practical applications accepted by the scientific mainstream
OPEN QUESTIONS
No open questions recorded.
SOURCES
TIMELINE
Puthoff and Targ begin remote viewing research at SRI
PEAR Lab begins decade-long research program
CIA terminates Stargate; acknowledges some statistical significance
Ongoing research by IONS and independent laboratories