[sci.electronics] divining and other party games

wolfgang@mgm.mit.edu (Wolfgang Rupprecht) (07/17/88)

>No it is not, this has to do with measurable electromagnetics.
...
>Sure, lets try to guess what is going on.. I am walking (upright, vertical)
>I am carrying two copper rods about 12 guage in my hands, about 12" long
>each, bent at 2" with the long ends extended in front of me..
>(held in thumb and index finger)
>As I walked, the little beggers occasionally swing from pointing front, to
>pointing at each other, or laying along the line of the pipe run.

First of all, I have to know, was this oxygen-free copper wire? ;-)

Why is it that all diviners insist that they *must* be holding onto
the rods to make them "twitch"?  If this were a true "electromagnetic"
phenomenon and not some party trick, then one would expect to see this
effect under controlled conditions when the rods are mounted on a
measurement jig.

Wolfgang Rupprecht	ARPA:  wolfgang@mgm.mit.edu (IP 18.82.0.114)
TEL: (617) 267-4365	UUCP:  mit-eddie!mgm.mit.edu!wolfgang

todd@uop.edu ( Todd/Dr. Nethack ) (07/21/88)

In article <6255@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU>, wolfgang@mgm.mit.edu (Wolfgang Rupprecht) writes:

> ...
> >Sure, lets try to guess what is going on.. I am walking (upright, vertical)
> >I am carrying two copper rods about 12 guage in my hands, about 12" long
> >each, bent at 2" with the long ends extended in front of me..
> >(held in thumb and index finger)
> >As I walked, the little beggers occasionally swing from pointing front, to
> >pointing at each other, or laying along the line of the pipe run.
> 
> First of all, I have to know, was this oxygen-free copper wire? ;-)

No, just room temperature superconducting copper wire, made some with
my chemistry set last year.  ;-) ;-) ;-)

> Why is it that all diviners insist that they *must* be holding onto
> the rods to make them "twitch"?  

I don't speak for all diviners.. I am not a diviner.. I am merely reporting
what I did.. And never did I insist that they had to be held.. I just told
you what I did!!

> If this were a true "electromagnetic"
> phenomenon and not some party trick, then one would expect to see this
> effect under controlled conditions when the rods are mounted on a
> measurement jig.

Ok, build one!  I don't care!!  I just told you what I had experienced..
and you (et. al.) decide I am an unscientific mystic!

Just don't forget your vertical radiator (to supplement for the human body)

And have at it!!