Stuff You Should Know

Selects: How ESP Works (?)

October 18, 2025

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  • The term ESP (Extra Sensory Perception) is a collective term for paranormal phenomena, which some researchers prefer to call 'psi' to suggest a normal, though currently misunderstood, part of humanity. 
  • The main categories of ESP discussed include telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, retrocognition, mediumship, psychometry, and telekinesis. 
  • Early scientific inquiry into ESP was pioneered by William James and the Society for Psychical Research, followed by J.B. Rhine at Duke University, who used tools like Zenner cards to apply the scientific method to these phenomena. 
  • Listeners are encouraged to send feedback or corrections to the hosts via email at stuffpodcasts@iHeartRadio.com. 
  • The podcast *Stuff You Should Know* is a production of iHeartRadio, and more of their content can be found on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or other listening platforms. 
  • The latter portion of this transcript segment is dedicated entirely to advertisements for local events and home improvement services, including the Westchester Fall Home Show, Orange County, New York tourism, and Under the Sun Improvements sunrooms. 

Segments

Hosts’ Personal Beliefs on ESP
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(00:04:16)
  • Key Takeaway: One host refuses to utterly disbelieve in the possibility of ESP, while the other attributes perceived predictions to coincidence and selective attention.
  • Summary: One host admits to having spent childhood voraciously reading about the paranormal, including wanting to study parapsychology at Duke University. As an adult, this host refuses to completely disbelieve in ESP’s possibility due to incomplete knowledge of the universe. The other host believes perceived precognition is strictly due to selectively paying attention to random instances over others, supported by the nature of coincidence.
Defining ESP and Psi Categories
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(00:06:23)
  • Key Takeaway: ESP is a collective term for paranormal phenomena, and the term ‘psi’ was coined later to suggest a normal, non-supernatural aspect of humanity.
  • Summary: J.B. Rhine coined ESP, while another researcher coined ‘psi’ (a Greek letter equated with psyche/soul) to frame the phenomena as a normal part of humanity that is not yet understood. The categories of ESP include telepathy (mind reading), clairvoyance (seeing distant events), precognition (seeing the future), and retrocognition (seeing the distant past or future affecting the past).
Early Scientific Groundwork for Parapsychology
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(00:11:07)
  • Key Takeaway: William James and the Society for Psychical Research laid the groundwork for applying the scientific method to paranormal phenomena by investigating and outing frauds.
  • Summary: William James and colleagues established the foundation for studying the paranormal scientifically about 40 years before J.B. Rhine began laboratory experiments in the 1930s. This early research involved both exposing fraudulent mediums, such as Madame Blavatsky of Theosophy, and scientifically investigating phenomena that could not be immediately explained.
Theories on the Nature of ESP
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(00:14:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Theories on ESP range from it being an electromagnetic phenomenon to ‘spillover’ from another dimension, though the electromagnetic theory fails because ESP signals do not weaken over distance.
  • Summary: One theory suggested ESP was information received via the electromagnetic spectrum, but this was undermined because ESP effects do not weaken with distance, which contradicts known wave behavior. Another theory posits that ESP involves ‘spillover’ from another dimension where the laws of physics differ from our own. Skeptics often point to coincidence and selective attention as the primary explanations for purported ESP events.
The Titanic Prophecy Coincidence
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(00:09:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Morgan Robertson’s 1898 novel Futility detailed a ship named the Titan sinking after hitting an iceberg due to insufficient lifeboats, mirroring the Titanic disaster 14 years later.
  • Summary: The fictional ship Titan struck an iceberg on the starboard side in the North Atlantic in April, was deemed unsinkable, and suffered massive loss of life, paralleling the Titanic. While this appears to be precognition, Robertson was a former seaman familiar with shipbuilding and common routes, suggesting the details were based on contemporary knowledge rather than psychic insight.
Zenner Cards and Sensory Leakage
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(00:25:40)
  • Key Takeaway: J.B. Rhine used Zenner cards (five symbols) to test telepathy, but early experiments suffered from sensory leakage, where the sender’s subtle non-verbal cues influenced the receiver’s guesses.
  • Summary: Zenner cards, famously used in Ghostbusters, consist of 25 cards with five symbols to test telepathy between a sender and receiver. Early results were sometimes statistically impressive, such as one subject getting 25 correct in a row, but these were later challenged due to issues like translucent cards. Sensory leakage, where the sender unconsciously signals the correct card, was a major flaw corrected by methods like the Ganzfeld experiment.
Princeton PEAR and Random Number Generators
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(00:28:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) department found a slight but measurable effect of human thought influencing the output of random number generators over millions of trials.
  • Summary: PEAR experiments tested whether human intention could affect the random output of computers or random number generators. Despite the effect being very slight, the sheer volume and repeatability of the trials suggested a statistically significant influence of human thought on machine randomness. This challenges the idea that only telepathy or clairvoyance are relevant, suggesting mental influence on physical systems.
Daryl Bem’s Retrocausality Experiments
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(00:45:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Respected psychologist Daryl Bem conducted experiments suggesting retrocognition, where future events influenced past recall, such as subjects recalling words more accurately if those words were later selected by a computer.
  • Summary: Bem’s study showed subjects were slightly more likely (53.1%) to correctly guess which curtain hid erotic stimuli than chance (50%), suggesting future stimulation influenced present choice. A second experiment showed subjects recalled words more accurately if those words were randomly selected for testing after the recall test was taken. While the effect size was small, it was statistically comparable to established correlations like aspirin’s effect on heart attack prevention.
Skepticism and Cold Reading Tactics
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(00:53:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Skeptics often dismiss stage psychics using cold reading techniques, which involve making broad statements that an audience member can easily latch onto, contrasting sharply with controlled academic research.
  • Summary: Cold reading involves throwing out vague statements, often using names starting with a few possible letters (e.g., J, H, or P), allowing the audience member to fill in the specifics. Skeptics like James Randi offered large sums to prove psychic ability, but this approach is criticized for using mockery, which indicates a lack of objectivity against legitimate scientific inquiry.
Listener Feedback and Contact
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(01:00:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The official email for listener feedback regarding Stuff You Should Know is stuffpodcasts@iHeartRadio.com.
  • Summary: Listeners who wish to provide feedback or corrections to the hosts can send an email to stuffpodcasts@iHeartRadio.com. This contact method allows for direct communication regarding the content of the show. The segment concludes by noting that Stuff You Should Know is an iHeartRadio production.
Westchester Fall Home Show Ad
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(01:00:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The 22nd annual Westchester Fall Home Show takes place November 1st and 2nd at the Westchester County Center.
  • Summary: The Westchester Fall Home Show is promoted as a time-saving and money-saving event for home improvement, featuring top professionals and innovative DIY products. Attendees can find everything at the Westchester County Center in White Plains on November 1st and 2nd. Further details are available at jinxproductions.com.
Orange County, NY Tourism Promotion
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(01:01:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Orange County, New York, located an hour from NYC, offers family attractions including Legoland New York and the Castle Fun Center.
  • Summary: Orange County, New York, is advertised as an easy escape offering family fun, including visits to Legoland New York for Lego creations and the Castle Fun Center for go-karts and LaserTag. Visitors can also explore local farms with corn mazes and hayrides. Planning information is available at picocny.com.
Sunroom Improvement Advertisement
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(01:01:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Under the Sun Improvements offers sunroom installations starting as low as $383 a month, including a free consultation.
  • Summary: A new sunroom from Under the Sun Improvements can convert underutilized decks or patios into usable, weather-protected space. The company offers design and installation services for a monthly rate starting at $383. Interested parties should schedule a free consultation with Jim Hughes.