Pandit Surender Sharma tries to kill Sanal Edamaruku live on television: the rationalist didn't look too worriedWhen a famous tantric guru boasted on television that he could kill another man using only his mystical powers, most viewers either gasped in awe or merely nodded unquestioningly. Sanal Edamaruku’s response was different. “Go on then — kill me,” he said.

Mr Edamaruku had been invited to the same talk show as head of the Indian Rationalists’ Association — the country’s self-appointed sceptic-in-chief. At first the holy man, Pandit Surender Sharma, was reluctant, but eventually he agreed to perform a series of rituals designed to kill Mr Edamaruku live on television. Millions tuned in as the channel cancelled scheduled programming to continue broadcasting the showdown, which can still be viewed on YouTube.

First, the master chanted mantras, then he sprinkled water on his intended victim. He brandished a knife, ruffled the sceptic’s hair and pressed his temples. But after several hours of similar antics, Mr Edamaruku was still very much alive — smiling for the cameras and taunting the furious holy man.

“He was over, finished, completely destroyed!” Mr Edamaruku chuckles triumphantly as he concludes the tale in the Rationalist Centre, his second-floor office in the town of Noida, just outside Delhi.

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Michael Shermer travels to Laurentian University in Sudbury, Canada, to strap on the "God Helmet" in neuroscientist Michael Persinger's lab that duplicates out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, alien abductions, and other paranormal phenomena.

James RandiJames Randi is a man that I admire. He has challenged the minds and the intelligence of many by inspiring to be one of the top advocates against pseudoscience and the paranormal. While I share many of his opinions, I obviously still research and study a field that is continually left with many unanswered questions. While it is not really something I would normally write about, Randi posted something on his website today that made me respect him just a little bit more. Randi publicly announced today that he is, in fact, gay. While I believe a person's sexuality is their own business, for a man of his age and position to finally come out and express his sexuality publicly takes guts and I am sure pride in ones self, something I am sure Randi is never short of having.  Regardless, I still have ample respect and admiration for Randi and everything he has accomplished. I wish him well in his life.

Read James Randi's Blog Here

You are taking a photograph in a field investigation when you capture something you haven't quite seen before. A streak of light is seen moving across the image, yet you do not remember seeing any kind of light when taking the photograph. Your heart starts to beat faster. Could this be a photograph of spiritual activity? In some rare cases, it is very much possible, but the most likely cause is due to something that many people fail to think about...the camera. Some of the most common false positives that are created besides the common dust particle are attributed to incorrect settings of the shutter speed and/or aperture settings. In this article we are going to explore the nature of your cameras settings, more specifically those of the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings.

I would like to start by making note that most of the instructions and details below are relative to the digital SLR cameras. Many point and shoot cameras vary on which settings you can and cannot control. Some makes and models allow for changing the ISO settings, others do not. The majority of the point and shoot cameras really never allow you to control the aperture and shutter speeds, so know what options you have available in your point and shoot, grab a copy of the manual if you need to. The better you understand what is available for your camera and what is not, the better you can adjust for specific variables that can cause false positives. Let us begin.

Read more: Photography and the Paranormal 101: Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed Explained

The Paranormal Study and Investigative Research Organization ( PSIRO ) is still seeking individuals to partake in our current online case study. The case study is an in-depth questionnaire that we hope will find correlations between those that claim to experience paranormal phenomena and those that do not. To date we have had several dozen participants in the case study, but we are still actively seeking more. 

Information on CASE STUDY: 0209-0001

Objective: The purpose of this case study is to collect and interpret data to determine what specific traits person(s) claiming to experience paranormal phenomena exhibit. 

Case Study: 0209-0001 will consist of an in-depth survey that will be administered to both paranormal claimants and non-claimants. Over the course of a 12 month span, the surveys will be administered and the data collected and the findings published. The case study will continue collecting data until September of 2010 where the data will then be reviewed and the case study revised (if necessary) and republished. The goal of the case study is to be a long term collection of data for as long as PSIRO feels the information is relevant to the study and research of paranormal claims and phenomena. 

If you would like to participate in the case study, please follow the link below.

Read about participate in the case study here.