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Guido S. Bassler
-Vicepresidente de la "Asociación Argentina de Radiestesia"
-Presidente de "GEA - Argentina"
-Casilla de Correo 3581 - 1000 – Buenos Aires, Argentina
-Correo Electrónico guidobassler@yahoo.com
 

Es realmente enorme el avance tecnológico que se ha operado durante el siglo que acaba de terminar, en todos los órdenes de la ciencia., ya se trate de la Medicina, de la Física, la Química, la Mecánica, la Metalurgia y sobre todo de la Electrónica, al igual que también de la Geología.

Gracias a intensivas investigaciones, así como a nuevos y más eficientes métodos, herramientas e instrumentos, en lo concerniente a la Geología se ha podido reconstruir en gran parte la historia de la formación y evolución de la tierra y de la vida sobre la misma, como también nos ha dado una mejor posibilidad de aprovechar los recursos que nos brinda. Los modernos sistemas de prospección nos facilitan la detección de minerales en el subsuelo o por ejemplo con el test de carbono, 14 hoy en día podemos determinar la antigüedad de muchos elementos que encontramos en los distintos estratos de la corteza terrestre, lo cual arroja una mayor luz sobre la formación y la evolución de la vida, así como de culturas antiguas y siendo de gran ayuda para las ramas de la Arqueología y de la Paleontología.

Si bien se han obtenido logros sensacionales en todas las ramas de la ciencia e inclusive se ha conseguido extender grandemente la expectativa de vida de los seres humanos, no hemos logrado, sin embargo, mejorar sensiblemente la calidad de vida de los mismos. Cada vez hay más gente enferma, los hospitales no dan abasto, los servicios de salud pública se ven sobre-exigidos y los respectivos costos se transforman en un enorme y creciente problema para los gobiernos de los distintos países, al incidir gravemente en la economía de los mismos.

Es que, a pesar del enorme avance tecnológico, el último siglo se caracterizó por un enorme materialismo. Estamos degradando nuestro ambiente o sea nuestra biósfera, con toda clase de contaminantes químicos y electromagnéticos, poniendo en peligro la vida misma sobre el planeta. Cegados por los grandes logros técnicos y materiales, no le hemos dado la debida importancia al factor BIOS, es decir a la VIDA.

Poco a poco nos vamos haciendo concientes de que nos estamos envenenando lenta pero continuamente y en forma creciente, con toxinas de la más variada índole. Con los pesticidas, herbicidas y con los fertilizantes se está contaminando el suelo y las capas de agua freáticas y por consiguiente nuestros alimentos. El ganado y las aves, además son tratados cada vez más con crecientes cantidades de hormonas y antibióticos, los cuales luego también pasan a nuestro organismo. Se están contaminando a nivel mundial los ríos y los océanos con toda clase de desechos, basuras y productos tóxicos. Los alimentos, especialmente los envasados y los pre-elaborados, contienen cada vez más conservantes, colorantes, mejoradores y otros productos químicos, todos ellos altamente tóxicos.

Ultimamente y en una escala impresionante se está produciendo una enorme contaminación electromagnética de la atmósfera terrestre por la proliferación de los sistemas de transmisión de energía y de comunicación inalámbrica. Se entra cada vez más en el campo de las microondas y en rangos en que trabajan nuestros sistemas bioeléctricos.

Además, nos vamos dando cuenta de que hay energías muy sutiles, tanto de origen natural como también artficial, que influyen muy notoriamente sobre todos los sistemas orgánicos, ya sean éstos vegetales, animales o humanos y a las cuales no se les había prestado atención por no haberse elaborado todavía instrumentos suficientemente sensibles para detectar las mismas. Pero, nuestro organismo sigue siendo el instrumento más sensible y más perfecto y percibe con esta técnica que hoy denominamos "Radiestesia", lo que significa "Sensibilidad a las Radiaciones".
 

Esta sensibilidad, que la mayoría de las personas tienen dormida, se puede activar conociendo las técnicas respectivas e incrementarlas con la práctica. La misma puede ser una ayuda muy importante en nuestra vida, especialmente para toda clase de profesionales, ya sea que se trate de un geólogo, biólogo, físico, químico, medico, arquitecto, botánico, agrónomo, ingeniero, etc., lo mismo que para un ama de casa. Por ejemplo, recientemente en la Argentina fueron aclarados dos resonantes casos de asesinatos con ayuda de esta técnica de biolocación. Por otra parte, Uds. han tenido no hace mucho en casa propia una evidencia palpable, al localizar el Dr. Lufriú-Diaz en Bolivia, con ayuda de esta técnica, el sitio donde se hallaban enterrados los restos del Che Guevara, que luego pudieron ser traídos y sepultados aquí.

Bien, sabemos que vivimos aquí en la biósfera terrestre inmersos en un mar de energías, sin las cuales no hay vida posible. Necesitamos del aire de la atmósfera al igual que del campo magnético de la misma, así como también de otros factores más sutiles, pero esenciales. Pensemos tan sólo en las "Ondas Schumann", que actúan como un marcapaso para nuestro organismo. Los primeros astronautas lo vivieron muy patéticamente al salir de la atmósfera terrestre, pues regresaban siempre enfermos. Recién cuando se incorporaron en las naves espaciales artificialmente ciertas condiciones ambientales de la atmósfera terrestre, se pudieron superar estos problemas.

Necesitamos de las energías que proceden del exterior, fundamentalmente del sol y de otros centros energéticos del cosmos, así como también de las energías procedentes del interior de la tierra.

Mientras que la Geología se ocupa del aspecto físico y material del suelo sobre el que vivimos en la superficie terrestre, la Geobiología se ocupa del estudio de la incidencia de esas energías cosmotelúricas sobre nuestro organismo y estos conocimientos son de vital importancia para nuestra salud y nuestro bienestar. Si bien dijimos que necesitamos esos factores energéticos para nuestra vida, también es cierto que determinadas interferencias en el campo magnético terrestre pueden tener un efecto muy pernicioso sobre nuestra salud.

Estas interferencias pueden ser causadas por vetas de agua subterráneas, fracturas geológicas y por las líneas de fuerza del campo magnético terrestre o sea de las llamadas "Líneas Hartmann", especialmente por los cruces de esas líneas, al igual que también por campos magnéticos artificiales. Nuestro organismo normalmente tiene la capacidad de neutralizar los efectos de esas interferencias con ayuda de su sistema endocrino Sin embargo, donde estamos durante mucho tiempo expuestos a estas radiaciones geopatógenas, como lo puede ser el lugar de dormir o de trabajar, esto va debilitando nuestras defensas y destruye el sistema inmunológico, generando las enfermedades más diversas, desde insomnio o jaquecas hasta las dolencias más graves, como el cáncer, mal de Parkinson, Alzheimer, etc. y por más que se medique, esto no tiene efecto y no hay solución si no se eliminan estas causas fundamentales mencionadas.

Vemos la importancia que estos conocimientos tienen para los médicos, para poder combatir eficazmente la enfermedad, pero también vemos la responsabilidad que le cabe a los arquitectos para ubicar las viviendas sobre lugares libres de factores geopáticos o cómo neutralizar los mismos.

Es, por lo tanto, de máxima importancia para nuestra salud, aprender a detectar esas radiaciones para poder protegernos de las mismas. En realidad esto tendría que ser materia de enseñanza ya en la escuela, pues los niños lo aprenden generalmente más rápido y puede ser un importante medio de protección de su salud para toda la vida. Por otra parte esto es también de significativa importancia económica para el país, pues permite la prevención y erradicación de enfermedades, una mejor calidad de vida de sus habitantes y un enorme ahorro de dinero para las finanzas públicas. Esto, desde luego, generalmente encuentra una gran resistencia de parte de grupos económicos muy fuertes, a los que no les conviene que se divulguen estos conocimientos, ya que va en contra de sus intereses, pues reduciría drásticamente el consumo de medicamentos. Dado que Cuba está fuera de la zona de influencia de estos intereses multinacionales, tiene con esta técnica la posibilidad de ponerse mundialmente a la vanguardia de una eficiente y efectiva lucha contra las enfermedades.

Quiero señalar todavía que los pueblos antiguos tenían mucho conocimiento sobre este tema y sus sacerdotes sabían detectar muy bien determinados lugares especiales de muy alta energía, formados por fuertes cruces de anchas líneas de fuerza principales del campo magnético terrestre y vetas de agua subterráneas ubicando allí sus altares. En Europa los Celtas y luego los Romanos buscaron esos lugares para sus santuarios y sus templos. En América especialmente los mayas, así como los Aymarás y más tarde los Incas, ubicaron sus pirámides y sus lugares sagrados siempre sobre tales sitios. También la Iglesia católica aprovechaba esos lugares para sus finalidades y ubicaba el altar de sus templos siempre sobre estos puntos muy especiales. Esto le daba al sacerdote allí una gran exaltación y una enorme ascendencia sobre todos los feligreses. Además los sacerdotes, especialmente los jesuitas, sabían canalizar esta energía y transmitirla como una real bendición, aunque el sacerdote no pondría su cama sobre tal lugar. Estoy seguro que la catedral local está construida en base a los mismos principios y no se encuentra de casualidad en ese sitio.

Para entender mejor lo expuesto, vamos a presentarles, a continuación, algunas proyecciones ilustrativas al respecto:

Gráfico del libro "De Re Metálica", de G. Agrícola, del año 1530 donde se muestra entre otros la prospección de minerales con la horqueta radiestésica.
Caso de insomnio.
Otro caso de insomnio.
Caso de mal de Parkinson.
Caso de mal de Alzheimer.
Afección Cardíaca, Angioplastía.
Cáncer linfático, mal de Hodgkins.
Caso de Leucemia.
Cáncer de mamas.
Cáncer de colon.
Caso de Sida.
Pirámide de Chichen Itza. Yucatán. Méjico.
Pirámide de Chichen Itza.(Croquis de situación de la misma).
Centro Cívico Ceremonial de Tiwanaku.
Tiwanaku. Kalasasaya. Era un enorme templo solar.
Tiwanaku. Pórtico de acceso al Kalasasaya.
Tiwanaku. Pórtico de acceso al Kalasasaya. (Croquis de situación).
Machu Pichu.
Machu Pichu. La llamada Roca de Sacrificio.
Machu Pichu. Roca de Sacrificio. (Croquis de situación).
Ruinas Jesuíticas de San Ignacio Miní. Misiones. Argentina.
Ruinas Jesuíticas de San Ignacio Miní. (Croquis de situación)
Basílica de Luján. Argentina.
Basílica de Luján. Argentina (Plano de implantación).

Habría mucho por decir todavía sobre todo este tema, pero lo restringido del tiempo no lo permite. Hay dos libros de mi autoría: "Los Secretos de la Radiestesia" y "Lugares Altamente Energéticos" de los cuales traje algunos ejemplares para la biblioteca de la Universidad. Para mayores datos así como demostraciones prácticas de lo antedicho quedo gustosamente a vuestra disposición.

ABSTRACT

Some ten years ago an extensive research project has been carried out at the University of Munich aimed at gaining insight into the dowsing phenomenon. A great variety of experiments have been designed to test some 100 dowsers with respect to claimed abilities such as locating hidden pipes, underground disturbances, or magnetic field gradients. Measured on a case-by-case basis the results were poor as expected from generally existing evidence; yet it came as a surprise that nevertheless dowsers performed with very high statistical significance against chance success. For this reason we performed subsequent studies especially on water-dowsing where better single-event performances had been frequently reported.

Careful evaluation of existing, sufficiently complete and comprehensive reports on ground water detection by special dowsers showed that no satisfactory explanation could be given for undoubted successes. In an effort to substantiate this kind of evidence we set up a massive program together with some two dozens scientists from numerous universities and geo-science institutions, a German government agency (GTZ) which executed water drilling in many arid areas in the world, and specially selected dowsers who had already impressive records in ground water detection. About 2.000 drillings in Sri Lanka and roughly 500 locations in 12 other countries were scientifically monitored. All together unexpectedly high success rates were observed, mostly above 90% – and remained unexplained. An overview was presented (Betz 1991; 2nd edition 1993) and the latest results are presently compiled.

Despite many intensive and competent efforts by experts to attribute dowsers success to chance, unavoidable success, and/or intelligent guessing no conventional explanation could be pinned down. In view of the obtained facts the vast majority of scientific experts involved in the program were forced to convince themselves of the reality of the phenomenon. However, those persons not so closely attached continued to ignore the programs results. Upon completion of our studies we will have produced impressive data, but the general situation will remain unchanged. Public, journalists and scientists will continue to rate the effect from full acceptance to total rejection. As in the past, prejudice will dominate the facts, and despite growing shortage of potable water in most areas of the world extraordinary, proven chances to locate well sites with high accuracy, at low cost and in short time will be wasted.

The present paper presents examples, which give good evidence for the reality of dowsing. A number of (unsuccessful) efforts are described to attribute dowser's abilities to a physical-biological reaction mechanism. Finally, modern concepts of theoretical physics and information theory are scrutinized to find possible solutions. Although dowsers performances do not violate any rigorous physical laws the failure of the biophysical concept leads to ask for radically unconventional concepts; though no new theory can be presented here it is argued that a number of accepted phenomena in physics leave plenty of room for further developments in the required direction. But at this time, there is no justification for the illusion of a near breakthrough; in the meantime we plead for an objective handling of the matter.

INTRODUCTION

Water detection by dowsers has at all times been well known and heavily disputed. Many single cases are documented where successful drillings were carried out thanks to dowser’s indications. Of course, there has also been much misuse giving ammunition to opponents. What about the fundamental question whether a significant dowsing phenomenon exists at all? Considering all the available evidence my answer is definitely YES. This answer is not an opinion but the result of scientific evaluations of abundant and representative data. Why then do others arrive at the opposite answer? In many conversations and scientific co-operations it could be witnessed that the opponents did not weigh or judge appropriately conflicting evidence. In fact, those opponents who had a chance to follow actual water Prospection by dowsing techniques – such as it has been carried out, for example, by the German GTZ (Betz 1991; 2nd edition 1993) over a period of some 10 years – could not avoid to admit that their original objections failed and no conventional explanations of undisputable experimental observations were at hand. Nevertheless, real dowsing officially remains being considered nonexistent.

Our century and the past ones are termed scientific ones where – at least within science and in contrast to medieval ages – the power of experimental observations dominates prejudice. Although much progress is evident and remarkable breakthroughs in science are beyond debate it is far from having become true that unexplained but reasonably well observable phenomena attain the attention they deserve. It is even worse: many long-standing phenomena, not just dowsing, continue to be ignored as long as they do not fit into current understanding. There remains a remarkable discrepancy between what may be termed private and official understanding. For example, during the long time I dealt with the subject of water dowsing it came as a great surprise to realize that a large fraction of geologists and hydrologists, especially from those who are involved in water development in the field, had developed dowsing expertise themselves – a fact widely known among insiders but equally well kept secret towards the outside.

Discussion contributions by sceptics concentrate very often to cases in which so-called dowsers have put forward claims, which they definitely failed to fulfil. Of course, no one can seriously deny that many persons claim dowsing abilities, which are not present. In Germany, for example, at least some 10.000 persons ascribe the semi-profession "dowser" to themselves. During extensive tests at the University of Munich (König and Betz 1989) it became quite clear that expert dowsers are exceedingly rare. However: the basic scientific question of existence or non-existence of a particular phenomenon is not how many individuals are – by chance – known at a time who may exercise the relevant feats, but whether there at least a few who can give sufficient demonstrations. And truly, the latter is the case. It may be noted that in absence of an acceptable theory for a phenomenon a single observation is generally not sufficient. The problem we deal with is not the difficulty to find valid demonstrations but the understanding of the observations. For strange reasons even modern science has its problems with border-line-effects. Although observations can be made the data is discarded; already getting involved is considered indecent. This is why few dare to deal with these phenomena; to say the least it will not be rewarding.

In this contribution we focus on two remarkable and well-known expert dowsers for water development. One of them is already historic but valuable documentation exists, while the other one was scrutinized in course of a joint study between GTZ and a University research group. Both cases are very instructive and proof definitely that we face a problem: the capabilities of the dowsers with respect to ground water Prospection are beyond explanation. The reality is even more dramatic: the dowsing abilities are virtually unbelievable. Highly exceptional and specific predictions are far from what one may expect or be willing to tolerate; this fact raises the threshold towards acceptance to a level not surmountable at present times.

EXPERT DOWSER KITTEMANN

The lady dowser Emmy Kittemann represents a rare case where dowsing abilities seemed inherited. Her father George was an engineer with the German Railway; in the period from 1920 to 1940 he exercised not only his ordinary job but was continuously asked by the Munich railway authorities to deal with specific water problems – as a dowser. Although he dowsed officially for more than twenty years and treated some 1.000 cases for the railway (and up to 1952 for other clients such as highway authorities and large breweries) not a single major failure was ever reported. As in our times there were plenty of opponents in the twenties waiting for fiasco – no chance. He solved very difficult cases and – often enough – made predictions, which were against the odds, and still he was right. Most frequent tasks were to locate drilling points in geologically difficult areas where dry drillings were already present, or to locate subsurface groundwater streamlets, which led to damage of rail tracks. In many instances ample documentation is available as well as impressive acknowledgements by authorities.

Emmy Kittemann continued the remarkable tradition. During 1949 and 1983 at least 50 major cases have been successfully handled and documented. Needless to say that Kittemann was called in when conventional attempts to find ground water had already failed. Since we are limited in space I will describe one of the most impressive predictions made, the Tegernsee case; this event alone is so remarkable that any sceptic must rack his brain. The following is not an anecdote or a ferry tale; it is a case which has been well documented and can be researched by anyone interested. Insofar the report is a fact and must be taken serious.

The little lake of Tegernsee is situated in the southeast of Germany, close to the Alp Mountains. From 1905 to 1909 around the lake oil companies performed some dozen deep drillings. In a depth of 700 meters it happened that one drilling produced not oil but a strong sulphur spring. Ever since the famous spa of the small town Bad Wiessee prospered. To put the spa on a safe basis in course of time two more deep drillings were put down, both yielding sulphurous water as well. All together, the subterranean structure in the area seemed to be known quite well.

In a distance of only 3 kilometres from Bad Wiessee Kittemann happened to inspect the little village Tegernsee and claimed to have found an underground streamlet of mineralised water. Besides giving a precise location of the underground streamlet, the most important two predictions were:

è a depth of close to but no more than 200 meters;

è no sulphur but iodine contents.

Taken as a fact a successful drilling would have turned the place into a spa. In particular, the absence of sulphur would avoid any quarrel with the spatially very close neighbour village as regards priorities on local sulphur springs. No wonder that the city authorities tried to get state money for the drilling. Since such support requires expert evaluations the opinion of geologists and the Geological State Office were called in. Based on ample evidence the verdict was clear: no chance for either of the two claims by Kittemann. No money was granted.

Since Kittemann was well known in the area for excellent expertise on ground water problems one trusted the predictions and a private investor group provided the required funds. The drilling was designed accordingly and carried out. The final result of an actually much longer sequence of events: iodine-salt water was encountered in a depth of some 200 meters. There was no connection to the nearby sulphur springs. All the predictions of the dowsers had come true, notably against the odds.

There is an interesting continuation of the case. The drilling technique employed was – as is often the case, still in our days – not customized to the requirements. Near 200 meters the borehole tended to collapse and cement stabilization was employed. This caused a very low input flow of the desired mineral water. For this reason a second drilling was planned. At that time geologists had to acknowledge the appearance of mineral water in only 200 meters; however, the theory was that the water originated from much deeper faults, just as in the Bad Wiessee drillings. To optimise the output geological authorities suggested a new drilling depth of at least 700 meters. The dowser, however, insisted that the mineral water intruded horizontally and was not ascending from the depth; consequently there should be no reason to drill deeper than some 200 meters. As must be expected the dowsers opinion was ignored and the more expensive deep drilling was ordered and executed.

To summarize the entire sequence of further events, the second drilling near the first hole yielded again the expected iodine-salt water at 200 meters, but absolutely no yield increase occurred during further drilling. At 752 meters the action was finally closed and the dowser’s prediction had again surpassed scientific know-how. It is important to point out, that iodine mineral water is far from abundant in the area. In fact, no other iodine spring has ever been found in the area. Under these circumstances the quoted predictions of the dowser cannot come true by chance; in fact, considering all the data known these are highly unlikely predictions. Even nowadays, 40 years later, no geological surveying technique would be able to provide such precise predictions. I have discussed the case with many experts, but obviously not the slightest idea of an explanation could be put forward.

The hopelessness of the situation increases even more when we take into account the many other similarly spectacular predictions made by the two Kittemann over some 50 years. Whatever the complication of the case in question they were successful to a degree, which is indeed unbelievable. Over a long time many persons including scientist have evidenced and witnessed the dowser’s actions and results, but not the slightest degree of official recognition of the pure facts emerged.

GTZ WATER DEVELOPMENT IN ARID AREAS

During scientific dowsing experiments at the University of Munich one participant (H. Schröter) showed particularly astonishing results. It turned out further that he was employed as civil engineer by the German state agency GTZ and lead a water development program in Sri Lanka. There, despite difficult geological conditions, he had already achieved unexpected success by dowsing techniques. Since the project was still continuing university cooperation with GTZ was arranged in order to monitor subsequent water Prospection. In order to attain credibility some two dozen of scientists became involved who discussed the matters and procedures in various meetings. During the following years a large body of data was acquired and finally published (Betz 1991/1993). Again, convincing evidence for the reality of dowsing was collected and none of the experts was able to present conventional explanations. Here we summarize the results because of space limitations especially for Sri Lanka and refer the reader to the original paper for more details. Besides in Sri Lanka, drillings took place in nine other countries. The results from an additional dowsing exploration in the West Bank are not yet complete and – for political reasons – are not expected in the near future.

From a hydro-geological point of view, the target areas in Sri Lanka must be considered as being difficult as larger aquifers are exceptions. Ground water reserves, which are usable throughout the year, can be recognized only in some single cases, but not in general, through terrain characteristics and an analysis of data related to the surface cover. Locally significant water reserves cannot be expected anywhere in the undisturbed crystalline rock basement formation (deeper than 20 - 30 m). In crystalline zones, successful drillings must reach fractures associated with water-bearing strata; as the fracture intensity may be locally very variable, the choice of the drilling point, even on a small scale, will generally determine the success or failure of the drilling. GTZ knew from experiences with classic methods that, particularly in moderately fractured crystalline rock basement, the rate of dry drillings must be considered as being relatively high. Using dowsing techniques, though, Schröter surpassed all realistic expectations and – on a day-by-day basis – worked up three different types of tasks, in every case with the specifically required success:

•  High yield water supply for a town;

• Small yield supplies for rural communities;

•  Potable water along shore lines (avoiding salinity).

During the subsequent field exploration three special tests could be conducted:

•  Search for a successful well point near an existing dry drilling;

•  Search for a point giving a dry drilling near an existing productive well;

• Systematic comparison between the performance of Schröter and experts in the same area.

Later on in other areas of Sri Lanka more than 1.000 further drillings were performed by different dowsers; their success rate was around 80 %, somewhat less than with Schröter, but still exceptional.

Number Litter/Minute Number Litter/Minute
________________________________________________

1 400 * 1 400 *

2 400 * 2 200 *

3 300 * 3 188 *

4 80 4 150 *

5 60 5 150 *

6 45 6 150 *

7 25 7 30

8 22

9 17

10 10

11 7

12 6

13 1 _________________________

14 1 * target quota reached

Table 1: Comparison between the yields of 21 exploration wells situated in the same area and located by means of conventional techniques (14; left column) and the dowsing procedure (7; right column). The required yield of 100 l/min was reached, according to usual pump tests, in 3 of 14, and 6 of 7 cases, respectively. Altogether, with a success rate of 86% Schröter significantly surpassed the 21%-result obtained with the conventional method.

Due to his surprising performance Schröter was sent to 10 other countries to solve difficult tasks. Most spectacular was the unprecedented location of wells in the Sinai. The question arises whether these findings can be used to counteract objections, which are often promoted against dowsing. Let us examine these arguments in detail.

CLASSICAL OBJECTIONS AGAINST WATER DOWSING

Sceptics and opponents of the dowsing scene generally assert, based on four types of objections, that a real dowsing phenomenon does not exist at all. Of course, the arguments used by critics are to be taken seriously also by the "supporters" as they are often justified. A generalization of these counter-positions, however, cannot be established with respect to all cases of dowsing success, especially when cases like the ones shown in this report are intensively checked and analysed. On the contrary, one finds that critics – at least with respect to matters concerning water Prospection – ignore, play down or misinterpret significant experiments with traditional persistence. The 4 arguments can be described as follows:

1. Debating the facts: the reported successes of dowsers not really exist; a thorough research of the corroborated incidence reveals false or misleading reporting.

2. Probability hypothesis: the incontestable successes of dowsers represent isolated, single cases and have been achieved by accident.

3. Trivial success: successes are unavoidable, because water can be found anywhere in the area of interest, due to an extended groundwater table.

4. Expert thesis: the dowsers are endowed with perfect hydro-geological knowledge and, thus, are enabled to identify appropriate drilling points on account of topography, morphology, flora and fauna.

As regards 1, the preceding parts of this report, for example, have demonstrated that this kind of argument is unfounded.

As regards objection 2 it is certain that, on the one hand, the described situation occurs indeed with a certain probability. On the other hand, however, high success rates for large prospecting programs, as reported here, cannot be explained this way. It is accepted that a single drilling success of a dowser does not permit conclusions regarding his general reliability or the validity of the dowsing technique. A reliable judgement requires a vast database and its statistical evaluation. This is by no means a simple task. For example, there may be areas where, due to the prevailing underground conditions, the chance for finding water at an arbitrary point and within a certain depth lies near 30%. To prove reliably an above-chance performance of the dowser, a success rate exceeding 30% is necessary. To ascertain this proof on a statistically safe basis, a considerable experimental effort is required (see preceding part). It may be noted, though, that numerous spectacular individual results have become known which invalidate the chance hypothesis, especially when the respective predictions by the dowser had first to be considered as highly improbable according to initial assessments by experts. Moreover, objection 2 becomes increasingly doubtful when one considers the numerous observations that the same dowser achieves routine success on occasions when other expert parties had produced nothing but dry holes.

With respect to objection 3, it must be conceded that such regions undoubtedly exist; however, dry drillings are then excluded in whatever way they are organized. If drillings are to be carried out in areas where these hydro-geological conditions are known to prevail, a dowser will hardly be appointed. On the other hand, if the underground conditions are not yet known, chance success cannot, of course, be totally excluded. However, none of the drilling projects described in this report has been carried out in areas where a success rate of almost 100% would have been unavoidable; on the contrary, the Prospection areas have all been recognized as arid areas where conventionally arranged drillings produced rather low success rates.

Objection 4 is more intricate to handle, because it may be justified in certain cases. In most single events its refutation is not possible or requires tremendous argumentative efforts, because with this objection nearly unlimited capacities and intuitions can be imputed to the dowser. The problem is rendered even more difficult, because according to the technical standard (state of art) it is not possible to establish beyond doubt whether a selected drilling point, determined by whatever criteria, will really be appropriate with respect to the relevant requirements. Prior to the drilling, different experts will probably have different opinions, and after a drilling a variety of different interpretations, arguments and suppositions regarding the success or the failure of the concerned drilling will be possible. Furthermore, one should not overlook the fact that, in contradiction to objection 4, superficial layers, soil formations and vegetation may even hinder the evaluation of the geological structure in the underground, especially when the water-bearing strata lie deep and are covered with dry and inhomogeneous layers.

Particularly competent dowsers and extensive prospecting results are needed to refute the "expert thesis" as an ultimate and necessarily valid explanation, after objections 1 - 3 have been dropped. To arrive at a reasonable and safe conclusion in such a difficult situation, extended test series or spectacular individual successes are necessary, like those, which have been frequently described in this report. For example, when the details of the dowsing predictions are as precise as they are improbable, their practical verification renders the counter-argument in acceptable. In this respect, the reader is referred to the experiments carried out in Sri Lanka, the dug wells on Verde Island, or the identification of drilling points in the plain desert of Sinai (Betz 1993).

A final argument against the expert-thesis arises from observed cases where apparently very narrow fissures exist and have to be hit in order to be successful. The necessary accuracy of point location may be in the range of 1 m or even below. When these cases are accepted – there is overwhelming evidence for them –, it must be stated that even the best experts, making use of all conventionally applicable knowledge, are in general not able to pinpoint a drilling site with the quoted precision. Along these lines, it is well known that conventional Prospection does not aim at all at such precision. In addition, it is accepted that in the cases under discussion (apart from very special and appropriately extensive research programs) not even the application of all available measuring techniques, reflecting the present state of art, allows such a refined spatial solution. The described successful pinpointing by dowsing procedures, therefore, must still be viewed as a very special particularity.

THEORETICAL ARGUMENTS

First of all one must scan the observations of dowsing actions and search for bio-physical explanations. Not too long ago it was considered unrealistic to attribute magnetic sensing abilities to biological subjects; now one knows better. Likewise it may be conceivable that humans detect weak physical fields and attain the desired information about the earth’s subsurface. In fact, the Munich group has worked along these lines together with GTZ, yet no success whatsoever could be achieved. Note that an expert water dowser can produce as follows:

•  Pinpointing of drilling sites even when small fractures are to be hit;
•  Prediction of drilling depth and approximate yields;
• Assignment of qualities (salty, mineral contents).

To say it clearly, no dowsing theory exists. Nevertheless, from a physicist’s point of view it is legitimate to ask whether there may be any chance for a non-classical dowsing phenomenon. There are two lines of argumentation. First, one should consider that there are a number of other exotic phenomena at the borders of science, which have been made plausible to exist but remain unexplained. Second, there is substantial potential in physics and its future extensions. This point may be illuminated further.

One of the most intricate features of nature is non-locality. In simple terms, this means a connection between two physical objects which are located at a distance from each other, yet "know" from each other spontaneously (e.g. gravitational interaction) – and no one can explain how the action or interaction proceeds from one object to the other spontaneously, without time delay, whatever the distance. Introduction of the force concept is a purely mathematical construct, highly successful, but not understandable by "common- sense". For almost a century quantum theory is well known and successfully exercised although there is no way to understand its foundations. Recently, entangled photons have received much attention since long-standing quantum-mechanical predictions can now be experimentally verified: two photons, specially prepared as twins, fly away from each other with the speed of light. Their state remains undetermined as long as there is no detection. When a detector measures one photon it assumes a certain state out of a number of different possibilities. At the very same instant, the other photon – far away – suddenly assumes the corresponding state; when it becomes detected this state can be verified. When we ask, how the information gets from the first photon instantaneously to the second one, there is no common-sense answer. It has to be accepted that certain information is non-local and can be retrieved without being at the same place.

Along these lines the phenomenon of distant viewing is not at all something one could rule out from first principles. Admittedly, no one can yet present a quantitative concept, but the working hypothesis must be allowed which assumes that humans have the capability to pick up information from the distance. It remains to be clarified what kind of conditions and limitations are characteristic, and how the lock-in to the envisaged target is achieved. Any progress in the enlightening of dowsing and similarly impossible phenomena will require much more objectivity and scientific creativity than is hitherto observed.

REFERENCES

König, H. L. und Betz, H.-D. (1989): Der Wünschelruten-Report – Wissenschaftlicher Untersuchungsbericht. Herold Druck & Verlag, München; ISBN 3-923819-05-6.

Betz, H.-D. (1990): Geheimnis Wünschelrute – Aberglaube und Wahrheit über Rutengänger und Erdstrahlen. Umschau Verlag Frankfurt; ISBN 3-524-69086-6.

Betz, H.-D. (1991/1993): Unconventional Water Detection – Field test of the Dowsing Technique in Dry Zones; Report by GTZ (Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit), Eschborn, Germany, ISBN 3-88085-489-0.

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