鈥溾�� ran a headline in the 8 February 1979 edition of New Scientist. The art of dowsing, or water divining, dates from at least the 16th century. It involves holding a forked twig, traditionally of hazel, and walking up and down until the twig dips sharply in the hands. This only happens, it is said, when areas rich in minerals or with fast-flowing water lie just beneath the surface.
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Our article reported results from two Soviet geologists who found dowsing 鈥渆xtremely useful in pinpointing several metal ore deposits鈥�. It went on to describe other reports of success. One experiment suggested changes in magnetic fields might explain the effect. 鈥淭he possible link between dowsing reactions and magnetic field changes鈥� could form the basis of future research,鈥� we concluded.
Lots of people still believe dowsing works. put their faith in it: just months ago, someone from Thames Water used a dowsing rod to try to divine the location of the water pipe leading to my house in London. Yet a problem we reported in 1979 lingers, which is 鈥渢he repeated failure of experienced dowsers鈥� to demonstrate their abilities under test conditions鈥�.
People do experience sharp, apparently involuntary movements of the rod. But the scientific explanation, we wrote in 2009, 鈥渋s that 鈥榠deomotor movements鈥� 鈥� muscle movements caused by subconscious mental activity 鈥� make anything held in the hands move.鈥� This is also what convinces some to think Ouija boards have spooky powers.
Even understanding this, our reporter Michael Brooks found the dowsing effect remarkably powerful when he tried his hand under supervision in 2009. 鈥淚t seems that a part of me wanted it to work鈥� the atmosphere was the perfect set-up for the ideomotor effect to kick in.鈥�
Perhaps this is why many people still believe in it, refusing to accept that dowsing works no better than chance. Belief didn鈥檛 help the Thames Water diviner find his pipe, though.
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