Dowsing is also referenced in some archaeological contexts for detecting underground disturbances and features. Nonetheless, it has been advocated as an effective method and is even included as part of some crime scene investigator training programs, 6 including those provided to U.S. There has been little, if any, objective testing of dowsing for buried bodies. Geological Survey explains that one reason water dowsers may appear so successful is that some water exists under the Earth’s surface almost everywhere. 3 Several objective studies have been performed on dowsing for water, and results indicate that when dowsers are tested under controlled conditions, they perform no better than random chance. 2Īlthough there are many claimed and documented dowsing successes, these are largely anecdotal accounts provided by dowsers themselves. This involuntary motor behavior, guided by the user’s perception, is referred to as an ideomotor effect or action. The pointers are typically held in a position of unstable equilibrium, and, therefore, a small movement, such as an involuntary vibration in the user’s arm, becomes amplified and causes the pointers to visibly move. Little doubt exists that dowsing pointers move, but there are explanations for the phenomenon other than a response to underground influences. Various explanations have included disturbed soil, magnetic fields, piezoelectric properties of bone, radiation fields, extrasensory perception, cryptesthesia, divine intervention, or other paranormal phenomena. However, many consider dowsing a controversial practice or even pseudoscience, with no scientific or widely accepted explanation for what influences the response or how and why the practice works. There are even those who believe that dowsing can help locate buried remains (sometimes called “grave witching”). Some consider it a reliable method for locating underground items of interest, including water, oil, and ore. Unproven Methodĭowsing, also called “divining” or “witching,” refers to the practice of observing a pointer - often a forked stick, rods, bent wires, or a pendulum - move in response to some type of influence or transmitter. The search method employed depends on various factors, such as case information, local terrain, and available resources. Various approaches have proven successful in locating remains, including visual assessments, geophysical techniques, imaging, and use of canines. This can be challenging, especially if bodies have been concealed and/or a significant amount of time has passed since death and deposition. Investigators sometimes search for the location of deposited human remains.
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