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Hah, finally…
Really interesting.
Can’t wait for the rest of the webisodes!
=]
What about when people ‘demonstrate’ it with an upturned glass over the top, or some similar variation?
Enjoyed this very much. All things paranormal I find fascinating. Can’t wait for the rest!!
LC x
Your shows are outstanding Derren (Y)
Maybe it works the same way with the enthalpy (temperature) difference in the table for the overturned glass?
so why did it spin 5 times to the left, stop, then spin twice to the right when i wanted it to?
and why did it nearly fall off when I blasted a ball of psi at it? (this was from across the room by the way)
science is fun
Okay so this is very basic science but I can see how people are “fooled” into believing it. How does it work under more challenging conditions like these for example where there is no air movement due to a bowl covering it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5NwRfMJgOQ
Heat convection, clocked that. I think most schools have done this in science class, but it’s a good example
Ive never seen that done before!
@martin day yes it only nis simple scince but its easy to say that once you have seen it explained, before seeing how it was done i was very impressed
cant wait for the othere episodes!
x
derren you rock
can’t wait to see what else you have planned for us all to watch and be amazed
Brilliant my son figured it out (and i remembered it from my old science teacher Mr Cookson) but we discussed how people believe in telekenisis and that you shouldnt take everything at face value looking forward to the rest of the episodes
I remember it from my science teacher a few years ago.(i left school in 2007) He never told us how he did it. It was kinda our homework but me being one of those didnt do it. I should go back to him now and see if i get those merits lol.
hi
yes did that in school. Very intersting still…cant wait for other videos!!!!
I sussed that as soon as I saw it… it’s similar to those Xmas decorations they make in Germany and sell in Christmas markets, which usually consist of a propellor in the middle attached to some lightweight plywood carousel of cutout decorations surrounded by four candles [insert famous Two Ronnies joke here]. It had to be paper as her hands wouldn’t be hot enough to spin plywood without something else powering it.
That was pretty cool.
Jordan, you should try it again with plywood like someone on here suggested, THEN come back and ask that…
I don’t know if Derren reads these, but I’ve got to say: I always take issue with that “extraordinary evidence” statement.
Now, let me clarify that I’m not in anyway a believer in the paranormal. For me, this is just an epistemological matter: claims require the evidence necessary to prove them. No matter how “extraordinary” it is (if by “extraordinary” we mean something which seems impossible within our context of knowledge), only enough evidence needs to be brought in to establish the claim.
For example, our principles of science might seem “extraordinary” to primitive man. We tell him that we can suspend a heavy object, filled with people, in the air, and that is beyond what he believes possible. However, bring in enough evidence to explain the principles and you have proved your case.
Belief is coloured by desire. Science can be fascinating, were the truth is much more interesting than the illusion. Science is Greek for knowledge.
Wow………awesome. Can’t wait to see you in 3D on C4 Derren
If you’ve started out on this road, it only leads to one place; Religion.
Fantastic work, I look forward to big finale!
[...] A new webseries has been developed by Kat Akingbade and Derren Brown, exploring the science behind scams and apparently paranormal phenomena. Episode 1 can be seen here. [...]
I find it very hard to believe that anyone actually believed that was a display of actual telekinetic powers, but then people believe in a lot of things.
Great idea for a show, but I really don’t like the format. It feels way too “hip funky teen science show”, rather than the usual high standard of Brown Towers production. Maybe it’s just the bad glow effect around Derren, but I also hate it when they do that thing where the camera shoots the person from a different angle while they’re talking.
Very interesting and I appreciate having these things explained. The only thing that wasn’t so enjoyable was that the camera angles on the scientist reminded me of those crappy toothpaste adverts in which the person they’re talking to appears to have fallen off their sofa and cannot look at the camera but are pretending to look at an intruiged person behind it.
Nice explanation if the ‘effect’. I initially thought it was the ‘James Hydrick’ method that Randi exposed but it’s a more scientific method and obviously one that people could unknowingly create and hence believe they are doing it with their minds. I agree with Martin about the hip funky production values.at least they haven’t gone all shakey handheld with poor in and out focussing.
I always think that if the producers/film makers use so many visual effects in a programme it’s there to hide the fact that there is little substance in the show…they don’t need the fancy visuals in this because there is substance in the programme. Down to earth explanations really need down to earth production. By having cubes floating about and people shattering into pieces etc it’s not down to earth.
Hey Derren,
Loving your next project-Science of Scams,Really fascinating to watch,
Good luck in your new project,
Much Love
Simone from Cornwall xx
All those who believe in telekinesis raise my right hand!!!
Oh…how cool is that and I have to say that my first thought was the spinning Christmas decorations (Flapjack) …if its shiny and spinning I’ll buy it every time lol Really looking forward to seeing the other episodes
Nice. I actually thought it had something to do with warm hands before the explination. I’m good at this.
I have found the other videos in the ether. Very interesting, not enough people have found them and left comments, I want to know if people are conviced or not.
I’m loving this! I used to be a firm believer in the paranormal, until I saw a certain someone perform the Oracle Act
but just because I no longer believe in it, doesn’t mean I don’t still find it fascinating. Seeing how things like telekinesis can be explained is just as brilliant as the thing itself; you’ve got to love the science or the technique that goes in to it. I’ve recently learnt to perform tarot readings (for fun, obviously, not to scam anyone.) I’m going to have a go at the psi wheel.
Cool, love the way they shot this .. the shadows on brown’s face due to something similar as the box shown … the box … etc.
I’m not going to search for those hoax vids, there must be tons out there .. I’m sure some of them just as scary as when it would have been true … if you watch them day time .. no problemo .. if you watch in the evening/night … some can be kinda creepy (the ones linked to murder and stuff like that) .. although I prefer those above psychopath stuff and such. My system down under does not work out in the evening, I have to force myself into something and then still it wont work … I get this unheimliches feeling .. and it wont go away. Different when someone is around, no problemo then. The tension can still be there, but not that intense and thorough.
I can move an object by the power of mind by tthe way … try this … go stand in front of someone and stand in his/her personal space and stare her/him directly into the eye while breathing into his/her face … the object will move … Many options possible here (give em a meaningfull eye .. ehehe .. Make sure to pick a proper subject .. it will step backward ..).
Pretend to hit them … oh, that’s not the power of the mind .. well, his/her mind’s power it is ..
You can even work it over a long distance …. you will need to have some psychological skills though (or just know some greedy people who will do anything when money is involved ..).
Moving objects .. geeezzz, that’s peanuts .. with hands, mind … kindergarten stuff ..
I’d have to be psycho, to go through all the nutter ‘psychic’ vids on you tube, to find Derren’s plants
This was fantastic. A site devoted to knowledge and enlightenment rather than igrnorance and darkness. I love it and look forward to seeing more!!!
“so why did it spin 5 times to the left, stop, then spin twice to the right when i wanted it to?
and why did it nearly fall off when I blasted a ball of psi at it? (this was from across the room by the way)”
you ‘blasted’ it with ‘a ball of psi’ huh?
if you can really do this (unlikely) rather than it just being a case of deluding yourself (most likely), I suggest you get in touch with the James Randi Educational Foundation (http://www.randi.org/site/) , take the $1 million dollar challenge, and prove that you can really do what you say you can.
the challenge offers $1 million dollars to anyone who can prove, under scientific conditions that paranormal activity is real. in 40 years, no one has come close to getting the money.. hmm, I wonder why.
That’s cool! I like you’re message Derren.
Don’t believe the house hippo’s! They’re not real!!!
Also check out the Mentalism facebook fan page. I hope you can promote this through fb or twitter or something. Click my name.
i think this is brillaint. but let me just say i saw an advert for that ghost in the mirror video last night when i was unspectly watching t.v. it scared the SHIT OUT OF ME and i had to stay up all night watching t.v without adverts. I HAVE HAD NO SLEEP last night…absolutly none.
does anyone kmow how to find it on youtube? id liek to put my mind at rest
Actually, that is really interesting. The other thought that crossed my mind was that she was perhaps very discreetly blowing on the paper to make it turn. Oh well
Great video though.
you could say that in a way the internet and computers are a form of magic being almost like an imaginary dimension.
Im sure if some medieval aged man came to our our time that he would think of everyone as being wizards or witches.
Bill gates of course being the head wizard….
This is soo cool …. I’m gonna to try it on my friends they’ll never know mwahahaha
I only watched the video coz i wanted to see derren’s face
But no this is awesome, hehe keep them coming derren …..
I’ll be a perfect scammer
But i’m still going to obsess about you
Thank you, Derren for trying to help rid belief of ridiculous things. I find it impossible to understand how people can believe in psychics, telekinesis and things like that. I have read your book so many times- I wish it was in the school curriculum so that less kids grow up to be sucked into believe stuff like this. I love your shows, and really enjoyed the events! can’t wait to see you on tour again! x
nice one! love it when science is applied to entertain.
Not that I want to pour scorn on Derren’s explanation or opinion. However – try doing this with a bic biro rubbed vigorously in your jumper. Wave it around the psywheel and it spins like billio. And you can even pick it up with the biro. If your wheel is made from paper. Now that’s electrical energy, static. Which we can increase or decrease. In extremes with a van der graph generator. What if we could direct it once it is stored in us. Just throwing out an alternative option which does work but which may have other applications effects that a humble numbnut like me might not know.
Well duh! It’s not rocket science you know. lol
Belief/ faith is a strange thing…
“What if we could direct it once it is stored in us. ” (Storm)
Wow that was a leap- from explaining static electricity to making up a theory that we can somehow direct the static stored in us! How? Any evidence of this. Thought not. You can’t just make stuff up, I’m afraid! That’s the point of this, I would have thought- we don’t have “magic powers”. Sorry.
Excellent stuff. I teach science in a secondary school in Ireland and I’ll being using these in class!
“wow that was a leap – from explaining static electricity to making up a theory that we can somehow direct the static stored in us! How? Any evidence of this. Thought not. You can’t just make stuff up, i’m afraid!” (NoCrap)
There is an old saying when doing exams NoCrap – “read the text at least twice before putting pen to paper.”
the statement began . . . are you ready to cringe . . . . “What if we could . . . . what if . . . . . . .what if”
not we can, we have, we do.
Not being smug I’m just amazed that you read what you wanted to read in order to further fuel your superior opinion into a total all knowing attitude to lecture. I think your a teacher or if not, I know your going to be one lol.
oh and P.S. when I said “which does work” I meant the static part.
I’ve mixed feelings about this. If you go to “psion” forums, you’ll see that experienced people advise rookies not to use their hands and try to spin psi-wheel from distance. Of course spinning a piece of paper, while holding your hands next to it can’t be considered proof of telekinetic powers.. In “psionic” community psi-wheel is considered only as a training tool.
As you can see from my post I’ve interest in this, however I’m not 100 % positive that telekinesis is not a hoax, as my personal experience ends with psi – wheel. What I was expecting was at least a bit more advanced tk video( distance and no hands) and an explanation about how person’s sub-c make them breathe at certain moments to make psi – wheel move.. or something like that.
Didn’t see all this stuff till now. Interesting
@ john
i think an up turned glass could create the same micro climate effect when heated but im not sure, have to try
I have added a link to your youtube video on the wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psi_wheel
Jordan Docker I hope your been saractic……………….
grr my sound not working lol
what a load of bull. i and many others can move it under glass and from distance and even over webcam. ffs telekinesis is real. if you hold ya hands that close u will get heat movement, thats why you modify the conditions and make a control. i urge ppl to try it from the other side of the room, under glass, then explain that with heat Derren.
i think derren is really cool.
I don’t believe in ghosts but when I saw the Ghost video freaked me out a lot!!!
yay i knew that even as i first saw it it can be used in all sorts of tricks
@ Ace
Oh no you can’t…. Or have you claimed the $1m prize? Thought not.
Well done for supporting this Derren. You are a statesman on every level.
hah finally we can get our point across about this spiritual and psychic crap. THANKYOU Derren your amazing:P
lots of love xx
I am fascinated by the way people have reacted to this, I am a believer in science and completely baffled by intelligent people believing that it can be done any other way.
Keep them coming Derren.
It is so obvious that one does not need any scientific explanation.
http://www.dailygrail.com/features/the-myth-of-james-randis-million-dollar-challenge
Here’s why no one has met James Randi’s challenge, if anyone’s interested. In short, it’s made specifically to be impossible.
It’s not much of a stretch to imagine there are numerous senses in our body that haven’t been discovered, and that we can sense on an unconscious level things that happen far away. Quantum theory supposes every particle in the universe is entangled with every other particle in ways that make spatial distances and possibly temporal distances irrelevant. . . it would be unscientific to deny all such ideas, not to mention boring.
Has anyone tried replicating what they did with the cups? It’s facinating seeing it with your own eyes. I’d use boiling water instead of just warm, though.
I really thank you guys to reveal some of these “paranormal activity”. Many people out there are spending loads of money in paranormal things! Earn money on people innocence is crime!!!! The more charlatans are busted the better it is!! I love magic, illusionism etc… but don’t used it as an excuse to say that you are paranormal!!!
All you minds are belong to us? you made me chuckle
@ the people asking how this can work under glass, look up “Crookes radiometer”. Heck, we covered that in pre-O level physics. No mystery.
Every one of these attracts the “well, obviously this is a scam, but what I saw was real, for reasons that I can’t prove or provide any evidence for” believer brigade. A UFO is simply something in the sky you’re unable to identify.
“science can’t explain everything ∴ god/ghosts/telekinesis” is NOT a valid hypothesis.
AND, JENNY AND YOUR ILK, STOP TRYING TO USE QUANTUM PHYSICS TO EXPLAIN YOUR WOO!
All it does is expose your utter ignorance of the science. QM is weird enough without pinning on your irrational beliefs.
you look tired darling:)
The overturned glass demonstration is actually more like a cross and the paper slips are black on one side and white on the other. They run off light, as the black absorbs the photons and the white reflects them it pushes the paper around the needle. made one in primary school for a science project.