Controversial Princeton ESP Lap to Close

The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Group's Web Site Announces it Will Cease Operations at the End of the Month After 25 Years of Research

The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research group (PEARS) has announced on their Web site that the controversial laboratory will end its relationship with the Ivy-league school at the end of this month.

The reason? Administrators feel that many of its basic research goals have been reached. Further investigations will be carried out through a new non-profit organization, the International Consciousness Research Laboratories, according to a statement on the Web site. 

PEAR opened in 1979 under the guidance of Roger Jahn, dean of Princeton's School of Engineering and Applied Science. Its mission, according to the Web site, was to pursue "rigorous scientific study of the interaction of human consciousness with sensitive physical devices, systems, and processes common to contemporary engineering practice."

Those of us who were around in the late 70s will remember that extra-sensory perception was a very hot topic, with late-night hosts showing off people who could bend spoons with nothing but concentration. Now, the subject is more relegated to magic tricks used for children's birthday parties or to break the ice at a singles party. PEAR's work, according to the group's Web site, doesn't involve spoons. Instead, activities of the human mind are measured with sensitive physical devises and systems that have been created for use in other scientific applications.

PEAR's new organization, ICRL will be independent of Princeton, which many thought was an odd host for what some might consider an unscientific subject. Like PEAR, ICRL will focus on quality research, educational initiatives and practical applications.

One relatively new aspect of the research team will be the inclusion of entrepreneurs who might be willing to market some of the group's research. Researchers will serve as advisors to both businesses and venture capitalists seeking to find profitable ways to use ESP research.