Electronic voice phenomena: Encyclopedia II - Electronic voice phenomena - History

Electronic voice phenomena - History

Interest in EVP apparently began in the 1920s. In a Scientific American interview, Thomas Edison was quizzed on his views regarding contacting the dead. Edison (who seems to have held no strong religious belief), opined that no one knows if "our personalities pass on to another existence or sphere" but he also speculated that "it is possible to construct an apparatus which will be so delicate that if there are personalities in another existence or sphere who wish to get in touch with us in this existence or sphere, this apparatus will at least give them a better opportunity to express themselves than the tilting tables and raps and ouija boards and mediums and the other crude methods now purported to be the only means of communication." Since there is no research whatever that sheds any light on the form or powers of the dead (even assuming they exist in any form and have any powers at all) there is no apparent basis for Edison's speculation that delicate apparatus would "give them a better opportunity" to express themselves.

However, there is no indication that he designed or constructed such a device (though his speculations on the subject feature prominently in Tim Powers' novel Expiration Date).

Perhaps the first time anyone reported hearing anomalous voices in an electronic recording was in June 1959. Friedrich Jurgenson (1903–1987), after playing back a recording of birdsong in the Swedish countryside, is said to have noticed the presence of a faint Norwegian voice talking about "birds at night". Jurgenson assumed this must have been a stray radio broadcast, although there was no radio receiver at the remote location where the recording had been made. Whatever the cause, it prompted Jurgenson to make further recordings in his home.

According to Jurgenson, voices that were not present during the recording continued to be heard on playback. They were said to refer to him (and his dog) by their names and nicknames, predict an incoming telephone call (and name the caller, Jurgenson's wife), and respond to questions and comment on the people and conversation physically present and accountable for in the room.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki