The Nation: A-O.K., ESP

While there are still plenty of people who associate extrasensory perception with science fiction movies and low laughs from nightclub comics, there is also a growing number of scientists who believe that ESP is as worthwhile as reaching for the stars. Among these Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, U.S.N., reported last week on his ESP experiments conducted during the flight of Apollo 14 last February.

Mitchell made preflight arrangements with four people to beam them, telepathically, various symbols in random sequence. He attempted transmission during four rest periods on the flight, then had the results checked after his return.

By normative statistical measurements the findings were significant. Mitchell scored 51 hits on his recipients’ consciousness out of 200, where chance allows for only 40. According to the laws of probability, the odds against such a score are 20 to 1. Still, it is rather discomforting to think of a space-age Lamont Cranston peering into the minds of earthlings as he sails among the stars.