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An anomalous phenomenon is an observed phenomenon for which there is no suitable explanation in the context of a specific body of scientific knowledge (for example, astronomy or biology).

Introduction

Out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, extrasensory perception, psionics, ghosts, demonic encounters, poltergeists, as well as sightings of UFOs and reports of alien abductions are phenomena, most of which are not widely accepted as real by mainstream scientists, some of whom go as far as calling the study of them pseudoscience. Sometimes the phenomenon is acknowledged as being real, but then the way it should be interpreted is what makes the controversy.

As the body of knowledge available expands, some anomalies are incorporated into an explanatory framework and lose their standing as unexplained phenomena. For instance, while the idea of stones falling from the sky was long ridiculed, meteorites are now acknowledged and well understood.

Often used as a synonym, but actually a subclass, are the paranormal phenomena studied by parapsychology.

Paranormal phenomena can be divided into three main classes:

Mental phenomena: unusual mental states or abilities, such as telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition

Physical phenomena: unusual physical occurrences that may be controlled by a consciousness, such as psychokinesis, poltergeists, stigmata or materializations
Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) and near-death experiences (NDEs)

Written works

Classical civilization included unique signs and prodigies of nature in works of paradoxography such as The Phaenomena (240 BC) by Aratus of Soli.
Inoue Enryo, a Japanese educator and philosopher, authored the six-volume The Study of Yōkai (妖怪学). As a result, he was best known as Dr. Ghost (お化け博士) or Dr. Yōkai (妖怪博士).
Charles Fort, in his four works on anomalies, lambasted and ridiculed the scientists of his day for their shortsightedness. Some of the anomalies listed in his work have been explained and incorporated into modern science (e.g. meteors), while others continue to be unexplained.
William R. Corliss' Science Frontiers has covered reports in the scientific literature regarding anomalies for years. He, through his Sourcebook Project, has published a large body of reports collected in many of the scientific disciplines.
Leonard George, a psychologist who specializes in anomalous phenomena, compiled an authoritative encyclopedia of unusual experiences, activities, and beliefs in his 1995 book Alternative Realities.
Fortean Times, a British monthly magazine, continues in the spirit of Fort's work by publishing reports of anomalous phenomena and longer investigative articles.
The Anomalist, edited by Patrick Huyghe and Dennis Stacy, is another magazine/journal devoted to the study of anomalies (which may be called anomalistics).
The Paranormal Magazine, an online magazine exploring paranormal phenomena and the unexplained, including ghosts, psychic phenomena, UFOs, earth mysteries, and many more bizarre occurrences.
Strange Magazine is another magazine devoted to the study of anomalies in the spirit of Fort's work.
Adventures Unlimited, edited by The World Explorer's Club, is another magazine dedicated to exotic travel, lost cities, ancient mysteries and other anomalous phenomena.

External links

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Anomalous phenomenon: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:05, 13 January 2006

Introduction

Written works

Further reading

See also

External links