Why buy one if you can make it yourself and learn something valuable about ideomotor action, confirmation bias and the scientific method in the process? Here's a little experiment:
You need:
- a table (or any other flat surface)
- a glass
- 26 cards marked A-Z
This experiment comes in 3 parts:
1) Arrange the cards in alphapetical order in a circle, then all put one finger on the glass and let the seance begin. Once you've "established contact" you'll find that the glass wheezes across the table, spelling out words, far too fast for anyone to consciously control it. You're allowed to feel a bit spooked now.
2.) Start again, but now mix up the cards and arrange them in a random fashion. Fingers on the glass again and wait. If you manage to "make contact" again, you will find that the glass moves much more slowly - but chances are it won't move at all, as your brain (which is trying to trick you into believing) can't keep up the act of keeping the movement in the subconscious.
3.) For the third level, turn the cards over, mark them randomly with numbers 1-26 and again arrange them in a circle. Should you establish contact again, have someone say the numbers out loud and someone else write them down. Once you've done that for a while, go and "decode" your message. Don't want to spoil the ending for you, but you'll probably be disapponted.
