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Prof Caroline Watt

@kpunews.bsky.social
98 followers 30 following 28 posts

(Usually) parapsychology-related news from Emeritus Prof of Parapsychology Caroline Watt, of the Koestler Parapsychology Unit (also loves sea swimming, walking & gardening).

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Reposted by Prof Caroline Watt
Richard Wiseman @richardwiseman.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I have just written about investigating spirits and the paranormal here substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com
Investigating the spirits!
Preparations for our immersive Halloween exhibition of ghostly, paranormal art are going well.
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Now available: the latest issue of the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research jspr.spr.ac.uk/index.php/js...
jspr.spr.ac.uk
Vol. 90 No. 4 (2026): Journal of the Society for Psychical Research | Journal of the Society for Psychical Research
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charlespaxton4.bsky.social @charlespaxton4.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
How to create a false tradition of a monster in the 21st century. On Looking for Leviathans m.youtube.com/watch?v=8DJO...
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Registration is now open for the @SPR1882 49th Annual Conference, Stratford-upon-Avon, November: www.spr.ac.uk/civicrm/even...
spr.ac.uk
Friday 27th to Sunday 29th November - 49th SPR International Annual Conference 2026 - PHYSICAL ATTENDANCE AT THE HOTEL | spr.ac.uk
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Yay! KPU Fellow Jim Kennedy has new paper in Psychological Methods "Planning falsifiable confirmatory research": doi.org/10.1037/met0...
doi.org
APA PsycNet
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Reminder of the next SPR talk - Monday 20th July, ZOOM SPR WEB EVENT at 8pm (BST): Seeing Psi with a New Lens - Dean Radin: www.spr.ac.uk/civicrm/even...
spr.ac.uk
Monday 20th July 2026 ZOOM SPR WEB EVENT at 8pm (BST): Seeing Psi with a New Lens - Dean Radin | spr.ac.uk
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Coming up 20th July @spr1882.bsky.social Zoom lecture from the inspirational Dean Radin on seeing psi through a new lens: www.spr.ac.uk/events/upcom...
spr.ac.uk
Upcoming Events | spr.ac.uk
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
In ESP experiments, the stacking effect occurs when several participants respond to the same target, making trials statistically dependent. The latest in the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia discusses the issues: psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/dea...
psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk
Dealing with the Stacking Effect – Psi Encyclopedia
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
SPR Psi Encyclopedia - Researcher fraud is difficult to estimate, detect and prove, especially in parapsychology, where data anomalies may be interpreted as psi effects. This article argues that preventive research practices offer the strongest protection: psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/pre...
psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk
Preventing Researcher Fraud – Psi Encyclopedia
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Richard Wiseman @richardwiseman.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
I have just written a bit on why science needs to take the paranormal seriously richardwiseman.substack.com/p/why-scienc...
richardwiseman.substack.com
Why science needs the strange
I have just returned from Buffalo, where I attended a conference hosted by the brilliant Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI). In one session I interviewed science writer Mary Roach about her wonderf...
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Fantastic guidelines book, it's a must-read!
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
The SPR's Psi Encclopedia - editor's blog post on the use of AI: psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/2026/06/15/o...
psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk
Our Use of AI – Psi Encyclopedia
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
When the Spirit Moves You: The Strange History of the Poltergeist (Online), Deborah Hyde: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/when-the-s...
eventbrite.co.uk
When the Spirit Moves You: The Strange History of the Poltergeist (Online)
Deborah Hyde, regular on Danny Robbins' UNCANNY and former editor of The Skeptic Magazine discusses poltergeists in this online talk
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Edinburgh Fortean Society @edinburghforteansociety.org.uk · 16/06/2026
www.strangedaysfestival.co.uk
strangedaysfestival.co.uk
Strange Days Festival of Forteana 2026
Explore the World that lies beyond the veil, 3 days and nights of high strangeness in the heart of Weird Wiltshire at the Legendary Barge Inn.
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EdinburghMinute.com @edinburghminute.com · 17/06/2026
A surprising fact via @severincarrell.bsky.social: “…despite the rain that drenches western and northern Scotland, Edinburgh is one of the drier cities in the UK – Rome gets more rain annually.”
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Richard Wiseman @richardwiseman.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
We have just published a new paper on preregistration in parapsychology. Free to read here peerj.com/articles/213... @kpunews.bsky.social thanks to @lakens.bsky.social for comments.
peerj.com
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
The new Zak! 'Reece Shearsmith writes a memoir of the macabre': www.chortle.co.uk/news/2026/05...
chortle.co.uk
Reece Shearsmith writes a memoir of the macabre : News 2026 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide
Reece Shearsmith writes a memoir of the macabre - Based around the spooky artefacts he's collected
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anil oza @aniloza.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
wow — the preprint host, arxiv, is banning authors for a year if they submit papers with hallucinated citations 🤖
Twitter thread from Thomas Dietterich, reading "Attention 
@arxiv
 authors: Our Code of Conduct states that by signing your name as an author of a paper, each author takes full responsibility for all its contents, irrespective of how the contents were generated. 1/
3:03 PM · May 14, 2026
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Thomas G. Dietterich
@tdietterich
·
1h
If generative AI tools generate inappropriate language, plagiarized content, biased content, errors, mistakes, incorrect references, or misleading content, and that output is included in scientific works, it is the responsibility of the author(s). 2/
Thomas G. Dietterich
@tdietterich
·
1h
We have recently clarified our penalties for this. If a submission contains incontrovertible evidence that the authors did not check the results of LLM generation, this means we can't trust anything in the paper. 3/
Thomas G. Dietterich
@tdietterich
·
1h
The penalty is a 1-year ban from arXiv followed by the requirement that subsequent arXiv submissions must first be accepted at a reputable peer-reviewed venue. 4/
Thomas G. Dietterich
@tdietterich
·
1h
Examples of incontrovertible evidence: hallucinated references, meta-comments from the LLM ("here is a 200 word summary; would you like me to make any changes?"; "the data in this table is illustrative, fill it in with the real numbers from your experiments") end/"
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Edinburgh Fortean Society @edinburghforteansociety.org.uk · 13/05/2026
Tonight! (And note, there's an auction. Bring lots of cash) bsky.app/profile/edin...
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Robert McLuhan, who has helped shape one of the field’s main public resources. Through blogging, publishing and editorial work, he became a prominent interpreter of parapsychology for general readers and the principal architect of the Psi Encyclopedia: psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/rob...
psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk
Robert McLuhan – Psi Encyclopedia
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Reminder - tomorrow, Monday 11th May, ZOOM SPR WEB EVENT at 8pm (BST): Implicit Psi - Deborah Patton. Registrations close two hours before the start: www.spr.ac.uk/civicrm/even...
spr.ac.uk
Monday 11th May 2026 ZOOM SPR WEB EVENT at 8pm (BST): Implicit Psi - Deborah Patton | spr.ac.uk
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Forbidden Histories @forbiddenhistories.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Here's my short video about the exhibition: youtu.be/Xy6Uv4o4KyM. Enjoy!
youtu.be
Ghosts: A Haunting Exhibition
YouTube video by Forbidden Histories
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ESC Liverpool @escliverpool.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Tickets to the European Skeptics Congress 2026 are now on sale. Europe’s leading gathering for science, skepticism and critical thinking returns to the UK for the first time for over a decade. Visit escliverpool.org/tickets to secure yours now.
escliverpool.org
ESC Liverpool 2026 | European Skeptics Congress | 16-18 October 2026
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Psi Encyclopedia @pe2014.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
The Psi Encyclopedia (PE) presents entries that cover the full scope of scientific parapsychology. Founded in 2014, PE offers more than 750 entries written by more than 80 authors. We welcome suggestions for topics not included. Write us at pe@spr.ac.uk.
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Psi Encyclopedia @pe2014.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Robert McLuhan founded and grew PE from 2014 to April 2026. James G Matlock has followed McLuhan as the General Editor, with a team of Associate Editors (Nemo Mörck, KM Wehrstein, Melvyn Willin and Nan Zingrone), software engineer Hugh Matlock. Start with the home page: psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk
psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk
Psi Encyclopedia
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
KPU's Jim Kennedy, @RichardWiseman and I have a Comment on the limitations of retrospective meta-analysis just out in Nature - read it here rdcu.be/fgqIE
rdcu.be
The emerging disenchantment with retrospective meta-analysis
Nature Human Behaviour - A retrospective meta-analysis is a post hoc methodology with substantial probability of bias and is appropriately viewed as exploratory. Well-powered confirmatory studies,...
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Coming up on zoom 23rd Feb, @spr1882.bsky.social event. Details: www.spr.ac.uk/civicrm/even...
spr.ac.uk
Monday 23rd February 2026 ZOOM SPR WEB EVENT at 8pm (GMT): Psychical Research and Trance States in China, 1900-1949 - Luis Fernando Bernardi Junqueira | spr.ac.uk
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
The editorial in the latest issue of the SPR's magazine: www.spr.ac.uk/magazine-soc...
spr.ac.uk
The Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research | spr.ac.uk
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
I love the treasures that @edinburghforteansociety.org.uk dig up!
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Jon Hicks @hicks.design · 08/01/2026
Finished ‘Chasing the Dark' by Ben Machell - a fascinating biography of the life of rationalist and sceptic Tony Cornell of the Society for Psychical Research. He was as much a social worker, sensitive to the lives of the people he investigated. Utterly fascinating! uk.bookshop.org/p/books/chas...
uk.bookshop.org
Chasing the Dark: Encounters with the supernatural
Encounters with the supernatural
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Dr Matt L Tompkins @mattltompkins.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
New Book Announcement! My latest releases this week- Full info on how to order here: www.curiouspublications.com/portfolio-1/...
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Monday 15th December - ZOOM SPR WEB EVENT at 8pm (GMT): - Schizotypy and Anomalous Experiences: What is the link? - Matthew Hopkins: www.spr.ac.uk/civicrm/even...
spr.ac.uk
Monday 15th December 2025 ZOOM SPR WEB EVENT at 8pm (GMT): - Schizotypy and Anomalous Experiences: What is the link? - Matthew Hopkins | spr.ac.uk
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Psychical Research and Parapsychology with Bernard Carr (4K Reboot): www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBNc...
youtube.com
Psychical Research and Parapsychology with Bernard Carr (4K Reboot)
YouTube video by New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Followed by 2025 PA conference replay, incl opportunity to chat w/ delegates and speakers
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Tomorrow, free online event celebrating IGPP's 75th anniversary www.airmeet.com/e/320fc120-a...
airmeet.com
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
Jürgen Kornmeier is head of the Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health (IGPP) in Freiburg, Germany, with research interests in perception, altered states and consciousness: psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/j%C...
psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk
Jürgen Kornmeier | Psi Encyclopedia
Head of the Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health (IGPP) in Freiburg, Germany, with research interests in perception, altered states and consciousness.
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
A new Psi Encyclopedia entry on Jim Kennedy, who established the KPU Study Registry with me way back in 2012!
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Cat Irving @anatomicalcat.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
If you’re in Edinburgh come and join me for an exploration of the Dance of Death. Tomorrow night!
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Prof Caroline Watt @kpunews.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Check out my lovely colleague Prof Peter Lamont's Substack The Faculty of Wonder, here: peterlamont.substack.com
peterlamont.substack.com
The Faculty of Wonder | Substack
Professor Peter Lamont takes a curious look at things of wonder. Warning: some of them aren't true. Click to read The Faculty of Wonder, a Substack publication.
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
The Mild Mannered Englishman Who Was the World’s Most Prolific Ghost Hunter (Tony again, though he was far from mild): lithub.com/the-mild-man...
lithub.com
The Mild Mannered Englishman Who Was the World’s Most Prolific Ghost Hunter
A middle-aged couple park their car outside a modest suburban house. The husband turns off the engine then returns his hands to the wheel, eyes forward and jaw set. His wife looks out of the passeng…
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
The latest issue of the Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research (issue 14) has been uploaded to the SPR website. SPR members need to log in to access the full issue. Editorial: www.spr.ac.uk/magazine-soc...
spr.ac.uk
The Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research | spr.ac.uk
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Book review: "The original ghostbuster - An entrancing biography of Tony Cornell, who displayed a scientist’s commitment to impartiality as he investigated the paranormal" (Taipei Times): www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
taipeitimes.com
Book review: The original ghostbuster - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Vol. 89 No. 3 (2025): Journal of the Society for Psychical Research: jspr.spr.ac.uk/index.php/js...
jspr.spr.ac.uk
Vol. 89 No. 3 (2025): Journal of the Society for Psychical Research | Journal of the Society for Psychical Research
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Forbidden Histories @forbiddenhistories.bsky.social · 02/08/2025
Oh look, the FH podcast is now also on Youtube: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
youtube.com
Forbidden Histories - YouTube
Deep-dive conversations about the hidden history of science & magic, curated by Dr. Andreas Sommer. Episodes in English and German. Dialoge über die verborge...
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
The SPR's Psi Open Data Project (an open repository for parapsychological and psychical research data) has been moved to Zenodo, which is operated by CERN. The links remain unchanged: www.spr.ac.uk/publications...
spr.ac.uk
Psi Open Data | spr.ac.uk
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Forbidden Histories @forbiddenhistories.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
4 episodes (each in English & German) already available. Would be keen to hear what you lovely people think! 🥹
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
Chasing the Dark: Encounters with the Supernatural. Ben Machell uncovers the archives of psychical researcher Tony Cornell and his investigations into ghosts, poltergeists and psychic powers. Conway Hall, London, 25 September: conwayhall.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/...
conwayhall.ticketsolve.com
Ticketbooth
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
King's College London study examining voice hearing in the general population: www.spr.ac.uk/sites/defaul...
spr.ac.uk
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Society for Psychical Research @spr1882.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
Reminder, SPR talk via Zoom TONIGHT. Monday 21st July at 8pm (BST): Embodied Liminality: Sensory isolation in floatation tanks as a method of promoting psi phenomena - Kirsty Allan. NB Registration closes 2 hours before talk is due to start: www.spr.ac.uk/civicrm/even...
spr.ac.uk
Zoom Web Event Monday 21st July 2025 at 8pm (BST): Embodied Liminality: Sensory isolation in floatation tanks as a method of promoting psi phenomena - Kirsty Allan | spr.ac.uk
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