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GERALD EPLING - Shimmering Leaf Inventor

This is a good time to catch up on what is new. Since it has been so long, I will briefly recap the discussion to date. I am Gerald Epling, a fellow who responded to the JREF Paranormal Challenge.

In the winter or early spring of 2006, I decided to respond to the JREF challenge. At the time, I was apprehensive concerning the possibility that a response based on phenomenal biocommunication to the challenge would be denied, because it was an example of a natural event. The realization that the scientific investigation of life could move ahead more quickly with a large infusion of cash prompted me to move forward with the application.

Kramer acknowledged the response.

Months later Jeff Wagg took over the discussions with challenge respondents.

Here, at the 57372 thread (http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57372), we all had a good time with puns. One fellow demonstrated the specificity of microwave shielding by placing his cell phone in a microwave oven and then calling his cell or mobile with another phone. The phone rang in the microwave. It was a really good demonstration of the use of active imagination in the investigation of a theory.

Another forum poster made the cogent observation, that I may not understand what the underlying mechanism of information transmission in the demonstrated phenomenon. This was a bright comment. I do not yet have a complete explanation of the physical basis of phenomenal biocommunication. This may be, in part, due to the nature of the Creator. The mind of the Creator is greater than my mind and I am only able to explore these things in a scientific manner with the mind of a man. Life is God-given and the study of phenomenal biocommunication is a study of life.

Some light-hearted posts were made along with some posts that were less light-hearted. (See the stop-Kaz, Sylvia, soup-of-the-day or whatever-else-is-popular-at-the-moment posts.)

Here is what has been going on behind the scenes,

On July 11th, 2006, I responded to Mr. Wagg. This response has not received the favor of a reply, nor has it been posted in the 57370 thread. Apparently, only JREF officers are allowed to post to this thread.

Here is my reply to Mr. Wagg from July of 2006:

“From: Future Mind
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 3:30 PM
To: challenge@randi.org
Subject: Egg Sense

July 11, 2006

Dear Mr. Wagg,

Smashing an egg can be accomplished in a number of more or less
controlled ways. Smashing an egg with a hammer would make quite a mess.
So, I am disinclined to use an actual hammer. May I suggest an
alternative to a literal hammer.

Since our last discussion, I have been investigating ways to smash an
egg without spreading pieces of the egg around in an uncontrolled
manner. So far, I have constructed a small chamber that accepts a
gravity-powered projectile that is capable of smashing an egg. The
chamber can be cleaned between uses, although it does not disassemble
easily. I will need to do some more work with the smashing chamber to
make it easier to use.

I see no problem with monitoring one egg while smashing another some
distance away. I am willing to do this as a part of the experiment.
However, my research shows that boiling an egg produces reliable
results. On November 11, 2004 I recorded the response of one egg to
another egg being selected for boiling and then dropped into boiling
water. We could do an experiment similar to this one, involving a
physiological amplifier. (See
http://www.arthurepling.com/aec/aec1b_1.html. There have been some
improvements made to the instrumentation that I used in November of
2004. The current model has a USB interface and will work with the
Windows XP Operating System. With the newer system, samples of the
physiological signal are taken several thousand times per second.

Perhaps we could smash some eggs and boil some others?

If you would like, I could provide the JREF with one of the BioPulse™
physiological amplifiers, USB interface and software for use with a
computer of your choice. Alternatively, I could provide you with the
amplifier settings and sample rates if you should choose to find an
alternative source of physiological amplifier and recording method.


Gerald A. Epling“


In November of 2006, I presented a poster on phenomenal biocommunication at a meeting of scientists in Houston, Texas. I chose an example of a plant being satisfied with water for the presentation. Also, included was an example of an egg responding to the selection and boiling of another egg – at a distance of about 30 feet. This poster presentation is available at http://www.mindjava.com. Look for the link to “Research” in the left-hand, navigation column.

Look for new information at http://www.arthurepling.com.

As you know, the web is a rapidly changing thing. The link in the July 2006 letter is somewhat outdated. The basic research is available at the MindJava® website. A video of the first observation of an egg responding to the selection and boiling of another egg is available at the ArthurEpling™ website – look for the “Sensing Intention” link in the left, navigation column. We are putting the finishing touches on a white paper and data disc which will provide a more in-depth description of certain aspects of phenomenal biocommunication.
 
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Where do you get the eggs? Are they from a shop? Why eggs? Do only living things have a reaction of does everything respond to the correct influence?
 
Cuddles said:
Where do you get the eggs? Are they from a shop? Why eggs? Do only living things have a reaction of does everything respond to the correct influence?
Click to expand...

I have tried eggs from a local shop.

Yes, I am inclined to use eggs from local grocery stores because they are easy for me to obtain. I have been told that eggs can be held on the shelf for 42 days in Texas. So, I look for the most recent date that I can find. I have tried the experiment with eggs from free ranging chickens. These produced longer reactions than eggs purchased at local grocery stores.

Why eggs? Eggs are well known to many people. I want my research to be available to as many people as possible. So, eggs are a good choice.

Most of my research is with biological preparations.

It is important to have a good theory to go with the data, although the JREF does not appear to be interested in theory. So, I thought it best to approach the challenge with a straightforward request - to monitor one chicken egg while selecting and boiling another egg. Of course, if the JREF would like to remove the boiling water from the equation, in order to make things much easier. However, that would preclude the JREF from ever reviewing the egg-boiling experiment. It doesn't appear to me that the JREF is very interested in the mind, paranormal events or Creation.
 
Hi bassett,



first of all let me assure you, the puns were intended to eggspress my amusement. In no way I meant to ridicule you or your claim. If I have crossed a line, I sincerely apologize.

Since you posted again after quite a while I assume you have made some progress. What are your plans to continue to move towards a satisfiable JREF Challenge protocol, besides having the "egg-smash chamber" ready for use?


(On an episode of the Discovery Channel TV Show "MythBusters", a similar claim was put to the test. Instead of your Shimmering Leaf (tm), they used a polygraph. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(season_4)#Primary_Perception)
 
bassett said:
...
It is important to have a good theory to go with the data, although the JREF does not appear to be interested in theory. So, I thought it best to approach the challenge with a straightforward request - to monitor one chicken egg while selecting and boiling another egg. Of course, if the JREF would like to remove the boiling water from the equation, in order to make things much easier. However, that would preclude the JREF from ever reviewing the egg-boiling experiment. It doesn't appear to me that the JREF is very interested in the mind, paranormal events or Creation.
Click to expand...

For the purpose of the JREF Challenge, theories are not really needed. JREF also does not want to review your experiment.

Speculating about what JREF might or might not want does not move you one iota closer to the Prize. If you want the Million, which you proved by applying, you and JREF need to agree to a protocol.

Why does it seem so hard for you to abandon the boiling and proceed with the smashing?
 
I enjoyed the puns. I thought they were a lot of fun. The puns were a bright light in the forum. No need to apologize for the puns.
 
The prize may be out of reach for anyone. I submitted a simple egg-boiling experiment. For a million dollars, I am willing to do some research for the JREF with egg smashing. In my opinion the JREF asking for this research is not that unusual. However, I do not want to confuse my claim with egg smashing. The egg smashing is something that I am willing to do and report in conjunction with the JREF reviewing my claim that one egg will respond to another egg being selected and dropped into boiling water.

Why do I focus on egg boiling? It is really straight forward in technique. I have had great success with it. Why not?
 
bassett said:
The prize may be out of reach for anyone. I submitted a simple egg-boiling experiment. For a million dollars, I am willing to do some research for the JREF with egg smashing. In my opinion the JREF asking for this research is not that unusual. However, I do not want to confuse my claim with egg smashing. The egg smashing is something that I am willing to do and report in conjunction with the JREF reviewing my claim that one egg will respond to another egg being selected and dropped into boiling water.

Why do I focus on egg boiling? It is really straight forward in technique. I have had great success with it. Why not?
Click to expand...

For inquiries about the JREF reviewing you "egg-boiling claim": challenge@randi.org
Only JREF Representatives can give you definite information. I am simply a JREF Forum Member.

Bassett, does not the smashing also represent a really straightforward technique?
 
GzuzKryzt said:
Hi bassett,

[snip]


(On an episode of the Discovery Channel TV Show "MythBusters", a similar claim was put to the test. Instead of your Shimmering Leaf (tm), they used a polygraph. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(season_4)#Primary_Perception)
Click to expand...

This MythBusters episode is interesting. I have read many things on the web about it. I viewed the end of episode 61, "Deadly Straw". What I saw was an experiment with plants. The experiment involved growing peas in several tents on the roof of a building. This experiment was pretty good. There was a sprinkler system failure and the plants went dry for a week. However, this did not stop them. They kept going, one of the MythBusters suggested washing all of the dirt off of the roots of the plants and weighing them to get a dependent variable. Very good thinking! The "Myth" was rated as "Plausible" As far as using Stoelting lie detection equipment or other instrumentation, I did not see this part of the show. So, I can't comment on that aspect of the MythBusters.

However, I can comment on my own research. Of necessity, I developed a technique for connecting electrodes to the shell of an egg in a way that provides very good signals. The technique for doing this was presented recently at a meeting of scientists in Houston, Texas.
 
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GzuzKryzt said:
For inquiries about the JREF reviewing you "egg-boiling claim": challenge@randi.org
Only JREF Representatives can give you definite information. I am simply a JREF Forum Member.

Bassett, does not the smashing also represent a really straightforward technique?
Click to expand...

No, the egg smashing is much more complicated. Here is why, the egg boiling maintains the integrity of the egg. Whatever there is about an egg is held intact, as the water heats the outer surface and continues to the core of the egg. Smashing an egg disrupts the biological preparation that is an egg. Additionally, the egg-smashing chamber is spattered with biological material that must be thoroughly cleaned between each use. It's a mess.
 
How to smash an egg without making a mess.
Use a sharp knife. The knife will neatly cut the egg in two parts.

Bassett have you demonstrated your abilities to anyone? The local press should be able to provide a few people who would write up a report. You could easily be famous. That is provided it all works.

To all newbies
Not a good idea to make posts like posts 111 -122. You can get your wrists slapped. If you want to make 15 posts quickly go to the humour forum and have a good time for an hour or so.
 
I still interested in exactly why you choose eggs. What made you think of using them in the first place? Did you use eggs or plants first? Not really related to the challenge, but I'd quite like to know what made you think eggs would have a reaction in the first place.
 
Unfertilized eggs are not alive. This challenge is an order of magnitude more unlikely that telepathy between living organisms. Much more likely is that you have constructed a device that detects boiling water. But perhaps if you came up with a protocol that precludes that possibility, they would reconsider. Confine the boiling water to a sealed chamber, monitor the humidity around the device,ect.
 
Cuddles said:
I still interested in exactly why you choose eggs. What made you think of using them in the first place? Did you use eggs or plants first? Not really related to the challenge, but I'd quite like to know what made you think eggs would have a reaction in the first place.
Click to expand...


I began with plants. It would be difficult to isolate and "boil down" enough information to give you a more meaningful answer in this forum.
 
bassett said:
...
The egg smashing is something that I am willing to do and report in conjunction with the JREF reviewing my claim that one egg will respond to another egg being selected and dropped into boiling water.

Why do I focus on egg boiling? It is really straight forward in technique. I have had great success with it. Why not?
Click to expand...

Does this mean the end to your protocol negotiations with JREF, bassett?

The answer to your last question would of course be most likely: "To win the JREF Prize."
 
Marcus said:
Unfertilized eggs are not alive. This challenge is an order of magnitude more unlikely that telepathy between living organisms. Much more likely is that you have constructed a device that detects boiling water. But perhaps if you came up with a protocol that precludes that possibility, they would reconsider. Confine the boiling water to a sealed chamber, monitor the humidity around the device,ect.
Click to expand...

Marcus, notice that I offered to provide a physiological amplifier to the JREF on July 11th of 2006. Here is a quote from my letter of July 11th, 2006.

"If you would like, I could provide the JREF with one of the BioPulse™
physiological amplifiers, USB interface and software for use with a
computer of your choice. Alternatively, I could provide you with the
amplifier settings and sample rates if you should choose to find an
alternative source of physiological amplifier and recording method."

My offer of equipment to the JREF was declined. No interest was expressed in the settings necessary to observe the effect. If you read my presentation from Houston, then you will see some indication of what is required. For someone skilled in the field of electrophysiology, the clues given there will move them very near obtaining the result. Anyone, who has made a good faith effort to replicate my finding and is having difficulty can contact me through the contact feature at arthurepling.com.

Dr. Epling
 
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