Project StargateProject Stargate

Presented byPresented by

Kristen SmithKristen Smith

OverviewOverview

Remote Viewing definedRemote Viewing defined What prompted government What prompted government

researchresearch Timeline of Project StargateTimeline of Project Stargate Looking backLooking back

Remote ViewingRemote Viewing

““The alleged psychic ability to The alleged psychic ability to perceive places, persons and perceive places, persons and actions that are not within the actions that are not within the range of the senses.”range of the senses.”

Harold Puthoff – first person to Harold Puthoff – first person to use term and one of the first use term and one of the first researchers for the government in researchers for the government in 19701970

TermsTerms

Remote Viewing – seeing distant Remote Viewing – seeing distant objects or locations that you do not objects or locations that you do not have any prior knowledge abouthave any prior knowledge about

Telepathy – includes a receiver who Telepathy – includes a receiver who reads the mind of a senderreads the mind of a sender

Precognition – foreseeing future eventsPrecognition – foreseeing future events Psychokinesis – ability to create Psychokinesis – ability to create

physical effects with your mind alonephysical effects with your mind alone

History of Remote History of Remote ViewingViewing 1882 Society for Psychical 1882 Society for Psychical

Research created by Henry Research created by Henry SidgwickSidgwick

Focus on the study of Focus on the study of parapsychologyparapsychology

Search for paranormal Search for paranormal phenomena like ESPphenomena like ESP

What prompted What prompted Government Research?Government Research? Paranoia during the Cold WarParanoia during the Cold War Rumors that the Soviet Union had Rumors that the Soviet Union had

increased funding for psychic increased funding for psychic researchresearch

Fear of what successes in remote Fear of what successes in remote viewing research could do viewing research could do

Components of Project Components of Project StargateStargate Examine the world competition and Examine the world competition and

assess other psychic warfare projectsassess other psychic warfare projects Provide remote viewers to any Provide remote viewers to any

government agency that requests government agency that requests themthem

Continue research to advance, Continue research to advance, improve, and perfect remote viewingimprove, and perfect remote viewing

TimelineTimeline

1972 CIA funds $50,000 to 1972 CIA funds $50,000 to Stanford Research Institute (SRI)Stanford Research Institute (SRI)

1976 CIA terminates funding1976 CIA terminates funding 1977 Project “Grill Flame”1977 Project “Grill Flame”

– Army intelligence begins fundingArmy intelligence begins funding 1983 Project “Inscom Center Lane”1983 Project “Inscom Center Lane”

– SRI combines efforts with ArmySRI combines efforts with Army

Timeline (cont.)Timeline (cont.)

1984 National Research Council 1984 National Research Council gives program poor evaluationgives program poor evaluation

1985 Project “Sunstreak”1985 Project “Sunstreak”– Funding from Defense Intelligence Funding from Defense Intelligence

Agency’s Scientific and Technical Agency’s Scientific and Technical Intelligence DirectorateIntelligence Directorate

1991 Project Stargate1991 Project Stargate 1995 All funding and research 1995 All funding and research

endsends

ProblemsProblems

Lack of replication and repetitionLack of replication and repetition Insufficient testing Insufficient testing Lenient test conditionsLenient test conditions Sporadic resultsSporadic results 65% accuracy meant remote 65% accuracy meant remote

viewing potentialviewing potential

1972 SRI Research1972 SRI Research

Led by Russell Targ and Harold Led by Russell Targ and Harold PuthoffPuthoff

Use of remote viewers for Use of remote viewers for “psychic warfare”“psychic warfare”

Latitude/Longitude testsLatitude/Longitude tests– Ingo Swann and Pat PriceIngo Swann and Pat Price

1984 NRC Evaluation1984 NRC Evaluation

National Research Council gave National Research Council gave poor evaluationpoor evaluation

Evidence was inadequate to Evidence was inadequate to prove anything about remote prove anything about remote viewingviewing

Government did not give up Government did not give up research because hope for research because hope for success still strongsuccess still strong

1991 Project Stargate1991 Project Stargate

Provide new experiments and find Provide new experiments and find new techniques to prove new techniques to prove existence of remote viewingexistence of remote viewing

CIA again questions benefits of CIA again questions benefits of programprogram

American Institutes for American Institutes for Research (AIR)Research (AIR) Evaluated Project Stargate on:Evaluated Project Stargate on:

– Research ProgramResearch Program– Operational application in Operational application in

intelligence gatheringintelligence gathering Headed by Dr. Jessica Utts and Headed by Dr. Jessica Utts and

Dr. Raymond Hyman Dr. Raymond Hyman

EvaluationEvaluation

Existed a statistically significant Existed a statistically significant anomaly, but evidence does not anomaly, but evidence does not prove that paranormal ability was prove that paranormal ability was involvedinvolved

No proof that remote viewing No proof that remote viewing would be useful in intelligence would be useful in intelligence gatheringgathering

Looking BackLooking Back

25 years of research and $20 25 years of research and $20 million million

ESP and remote viewing should ESP and remote viewing should be seen as bogus and falsebe seen as bogus and false

Funded for the wrong reasons for Funded for the wrong reasons for too long, too much money, and too long, too much money, and poor protocols by people who poor protocols by people who didn’t know what they were doingdidn’t know what they were doing

SourcesSources

The American Institues for Research. “An Evaluation of The American Institues for Research. “An Evaluation of Remote Viewing Research and Applications.” Ed. Michael Remote Viewing Research and Applications.” Ed. Michael D. Mumford, Andrew M. Rose, and David S. Goslin. 29 D. Mumford, Andrew M. Rose, and David S. Goslin. 29 Sept. 1995. Sept. 1995. ParascopeParascope 7 Mar 2006. 7 Mar 2006. <http://www.parascope.com/en/articles/starGateReport.h<http://www.parascope.com/en/articles/starGateReport.htm>.tm>.

Hyman, Ray. “The Evidence for Psychic Functioning: Hyman, Ray. “The Evidence for Psychic Functioning: Claims vs. Reality.” CSICOP Claims vs. Reality.” CSICOP Skeptical Inquirer Skeptical Inquirer Magazine. Magazine. March/April 1996. March/April 1996. <http://www.csicop.org/si/9603/claims.html>. <http://www.csicop.org/si/9603/claims.html>.

Randi, James. “Witchcraft in Washington, Dammit Randi, James. “Witchcraft in Washington, Dammit Zammit, Dennis Lee Again, Australian Common Sense, Zammit, Dennis Lee Again, Australian Common Sense, and Twisting Forks for Fun &Profit…” and Twisting Forks for Fun &Profit…” James Randi James Randi Educational FoundationEducational Foundation 23 Nov 01. 26 Feb 2006 23 Nov 01. 26 Feb 2006 <http://www.randi.org/jr/112301.html>.<http://www.randi.org/jr/112301.html>.

More SourcesMore Sources

““Remote viewing.” Remote viewing.” Skeptic’s DictionarySkeptic’s Dictionary. Ed. Robert Todd . Ed. Robert Todd Carroll. 13 Feb 2006. 4 Mar 2006 Carroll. 13 Feb 2006. 4 Mar 2006 <http://www.skepdic.com/remotevw.html>.<http://www.skepdic.com/remotevw.html>.

““Remote Viewing.” Remote Viewing.” SRI InternationalSRI International. 2006. 4 Mar 2006 . 2006. 4 Mar 2006 <http://www.sri.com/about/remoteview.html> <http://www.sri.com/about/remoteview.html>

Targ, Russell and Harold E. Puthoff. Targ, Russell and Harold E. Puthoff. Mind-Reach: Mind-Reach: Scientists Look at Psychic AbilityScientists Look at Psychic Ability. New York: Delacorte . New York: Delacorte Press, 1977.Press, 1977.

SummarySummary

Defined Remote ViewingDefined Remote Viewing Explained why the government Explained why the government

funded researchfunded research Timeline of Project Stargate and Timeline of Project Stargate and

its goalsits goals What we’ve learnedWhat we’ve learned

Questions?Questions?