Quantitative analysis of reproducible changes in high-voltage electrophotography.
OBJECTIVE
The existence of electromagnetic fields not generated by neuronal action or muscle stimulation remains controversial especially because they are difficulty to detect. We attempted to investigate the existence of electromagnetic fields associated with biologic systems using new image analysis techniques to analyze high-voltage electrophotography.


METHODS
Five energy practitioners (three males and two females) and five control subjects (four males and one female) participated in the study. Each practitioner had studied a formal training curriculum and was a professional energy practitioner. Images representing attempts of both energy practitioners and controls to elicit a change in electromagnetic emissions were captured by electrophotographic means. A statistical analysis on the comparison of "ON" vs. "OFF" states for the controls and practitioners in the study was made via digital representation of analogue images.


RESULTS
Our interest was threefold: (1) to determine whether corona discharge patterns could be obtained and photographed and be reproducible; (2) to quantify some of the qualitative properties of the coronas; and (3) to determine if individuals can alter, at will, their electrophotographic images. We found a correlation between a change in the electromagnetic emissions for the body and the conscious desire of an energy practitioner to change this state. Analyses of individual finger coronas demonstrate statistically significant differences as analyzed by overall color changes and via analysis of individual sections of the various colors dominating the field. Control subjects were unable to produce statistically significant changes that were reproducible. Physiologic processes, such as changes in skin resistance, sweating, and surface blood constriction, have been suggested as an explanation of the colors and patterns that appear on the film in previous studies, but were not observed in this investigation.


CONCLUSIONS
After controlling for the above variables and identifying reproducible and statistically significant changes, we believe the images created in our study represent the interaction of biologically generated electromagnetic fields interacting with the corona discharge created by the electrophotographic device.
Russo
M
M
Department of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. markrusso@atl.mediaone.net
Choudhri
A F
AF
Whitworth
G
G
Weinberg
A D
AD
Bickel
W
W
Oz
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004560:Electricity; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010268:Parapsychology; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature