Today I came across with this book:

“Debunked: ESP, Telekinesis, and Other Pseudoscience”.

It was written by Georges Charpak (Winner of the 1992 Nobel Prize in physics) and Henri Broch. The Publisher is Johns Hopkins University Press.

The book explains how some psychic feats are done: Telepathy, spoon bending, levitation, needles thru arms, skin and tongue, walking over red-hot coals... is very well written.

Here is a synopsis provided by Barnes & Noble website:

“Can you walk over red-hot charcoal without burning your feet? Appear to stop the beating of your heart? Bend spoons using the power of your mind? In Debunked! Nobel Prize winner Georges Charpak and physics professor Henri Broch team up to show you the tricks of the trade and sleight of hand that keep astrologers, TV psychics, and spoon benders in business. Using only the simplest of science, the authors explore the effectiveness of horoscopes the blander the better and why, with a television audience in the millions, any strange, unlikely prediction is almost certain to come true. If such insider information does not impress your colleagues, why not pierce your tongue with a skewer or demonstrate your eerie powers by using telepathy and the telephone to get a distant friend to intuit the number and suit of a card picked at random. Charpak and Broch show you how. Not merely an expose of magic tricks, this book demonstrates how pseudoscientists use science, statistics, and psychology to bamboozle an audience sometimes for fun, sometimes for profit. During the most scientifically advanced period in human history, belief in the paranormal and the supernatural is alarmingly common. Entertaining and enlightening, Debunked! is the antidote, vigorously asserting the virtues of doubt, skepticism, curiosity, and scientific knowledge. This lucid translation makes the arguments clear, understandable, and a pleasure to read. monsters.' The authors have a serious agenda a critique of belief in the paranormal and the supernatural, and the irrational behavior of those who are taken in by such beliefs but address it with a light and good-humored touch. The book provides entertaining and amusing reading while bringing about an understanding of how the simple application of probability theory and science explains 'amazing' coincidences and abilities." - John M. Charap, Queen Mary University of London AUTHOR BIO: Georges Charpak is a physicist at the European Center for Particle Physics (CERN) in Geneva and winner of the 1992 Nobel Prize in physics. Henri Broch teaches physics and zetetics, the scientific investigation of paranormal phenomena, at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolice. ”

Enrique,
Thanks for posting this info... an interesting review appeared in the April 29 Wall Street Journal (USA edition). I just ordered the book from Amazon.com.
DaveS

How utterly ridiculous. What is a Nobel Prize winner doing trashing his reputation by writing garbage like this? Protecting the world and its citizens from disreputable tongue-piercers? Puh-leeze.

There is so much fraudulent pseudo-science flooding our communications system regarding health and environment, yet these people are blowing the lid off spoon bending?!!?? Why not take on a few of those real world targets that actually spread distrust, anxiety, misinformation and ultimately steal billions of dollars from innocent people?

This is pathetic (This is also my 100th post!).

I cannot understand the people who are out working on debunking this stuff. Are there people who should be going to jail by conning others? ... Sure. But if you want to investigate and debunk things why taget the paranormal instead of politicians? If you are a good investigator and want to be a watchdog for people, there are better things to do with your time and efforts. Put your skills to some real use.

I’m not happy by the existence of this book, but I think is important we aware of it.

Anyway, I don’t think it’s going to be a best seller.

Mystery is what sells. The lack of mystery never does.