Metaphysics & Psychology

In 1927, a radio experiment tried to prove that telepathy exists

By T.K. Randall
October 14, 2025

Image: AI-generated (Bing AI / Dall-E 3) Back in 1927, a group of scientists headed up by physicist Sir Oliver Lodge and backed by the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) decided to conduct an experiment to determine whether or not it was possible for humans to send messages to one another telepathically.

To accomplish this, six volunteers were sealed in a room and the session was broadcast live on BBC Radio which listeners could tune into on their radio receivers at home.

Each volunteer was shown a series of objects ranging from playing cards to pictures and hats.

While they were focusing on each object, the listeners were asked to write down what they thought the object was and then send in their answers at the end.Remarkably, around 25,000 people wrote in with their thoughts on what the objects were.

Sadly, only a few of the listeners actually identified any of the objects, with five people correctly guessing a picture of a skull and a few others vaguely matching a man in a mask and hat.

According to research officer V. J. Woolley, the successful guesses were "swamped by the very large mass of failures", indicating statistical chance rather than evidence of telepathic communication.

Even so, it remains one of the most intriguing and wide-ranging experiments of its kind ever attempted.

Source: Daily Galaxy

Tags: Psychic, Telepathy