Psychic was first to run rings around Jupiter

Jupiter, rings and moon orbits

In the last few days, the discovery of a huge and previously undetected additional ring around the planet Saturn has been exciting astronomers. But, to my mind, it cannot compare to the realisation, in 1973, that the planet Jupiter also had a ring system, because that discovery was made by a psychic, not a spacecraft.

It was Ingo Swann, an American “consciousness researcher” (he doesn’t like to be called a psychic) who suggested exploring the planet, using a method he called “coordinated remote viewing”, during experiments that were being conducted with him at Stanford Research Institute (now known as SRI International)…

Hal Puthoff, Ingo Swann and Russell Targ at a recent conference. (Photo copyright: Robert M. Knight)

Physicists Hal Puthoff and Russell Targ were exploring the ability of certain individuals to give accurate descriptions of places simply by being given their geographical co-ordinates. It has since been revealed that this work, which ran between 1972 and 1988, had military and intelligence agency sponsorship.

As well as co-operating with almost 40 leading researchers, Swann was one of the SRI’s most tested “guinea-pigs”. It is understood that 14 of the projects in which his abilities were tested are governed by non-disclosure agreements.

Swann decided it would be interesting to see how far his ability could extend by conducting a seriously long-distance experiment … to Jupiter. The reason for suggesting the largest planet in our solar system as his target was because, in 1973, it would soon be possible to compare the remote viewing data with scientific data from space probes.

So, on 27 April, 1973, after some resistance, Puthoff and Targ agreed to record Swann’s far-viewing ability – nine months before Pioneer 10 achieved the first fly-by of the planet. Pioneer 11 arrived at Jupiter a year later. Neither of these space probes detected what Ingo Swann had reported “seeing”, namely a ring around the planet.

Voyager 1

It was not until Voyager 1 arrived on the scene, almost six years after the SRI experiment, that Swann’s “vision” was confirmed.

I must point out that is was not a case of being wise after the event or of only releasing the information once it was confirmed. A report of the session was made available, or offered to, a wide range of scientific and sceptical organisations (some of whom refused to receive it!) long before confirmation was available.

References to Swann’s breakthrough experiment – including Jupiter’s rings – were also included in Puthoff and Targ’s book Mind Reach, published in 1977, two years before data from Voyager 1 revealed that Saturn was not the only planet with a ring system.

Despite the evidence, there are – inevitably – sceptics who dismiss the value or accuracy of this research or, indeed, any remote viewing experiments. Wikipedia’s entry for Ingo Swann presents some of these arguments.

Those who are interested in making up their own minds can compare the sceptics’ views with Ingo Swann’s own report on the experiment here, as well as a fascinating variety of information at this talented psychic and artist’s own website.

My view? Having met and interviewed Ingo Swann in London, in the 1970s (before his work at SRI was widely known) I am satisfied that he has made a significant contribution to parapsychology and specifically to the field of remote viewing. A contribution, I believe, that is far greater than the recent discovery that Saturn has even more rings than were previously known.

Jupiter, its rings and moon orbits

You may also find these related articles of interest:

1. Psychic Twitter fails to impress
2. Did psychic save Bush’s life?
3. Islamic court sentences psychic to death