A Journey into the Unseen

The Cold War era, a time when the unseen became the sought after. It was during this high-stakes period that the U.S. government ventured into the realm of the unknown, the psychic, the extrasensory. This journey led to the creation of a clandestine program known as Project Stargate.

Project Stargate, initiated in the 1970s, was an ambitious program by the U.S. Army, later overseen by the CIA, aimed at exploring the potential of psychic phenomena in military and intelligence applications. The origins of this enigmatic program can be traced back to a CIA initiative known as SCANATE (scan by coordinate), spurred by the belief that the Soviet Union was heavily investing in psychotronic research for warfare.

This race for psychic supremacy was part of the larger Cold War strategy, where both superpowers were constantly in search of an edge over the other.

The Chronicles of the Unseen War

The project was centered around remote viewing, a practice where individuals, known as ‘viewers’, used their minds to perceive distant or unseen targets. This capability, if harnessed, could revolutionize intelligence gathering, allowing operatives to ‘see’ into enemy territories, locate hidden assets, or even predict future events.

The research began at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in California, under the leadership of physicists Russell Targ and Harold Puthoff. Among the numerous participants was Uri Geller, an individual who would later gain fame as a mentalist and illusionist. Geller, known for his spoon-bending antics, was tested for his remote viewing abilities and initially reported to have demonstrated ‘paranormal perceptual ability’.

The Rise and Fall of Project Stargate

Despite some early enthusiasm, the project faced numerous challenges. Critics like psychologist Ray Hyman pointed out inconsistencies and accused some participants, including Geller, of being frauds. Moreover, the techniques and results were often inconsistent and unreliable.

One notable success story was that of Rosemary Smith, who reportedly helped locate a downed Soviet spy plane in Africa, surpassing the minimum accuracy rate of 65% often required in these experiments. Another key figure was…