Psychiatrist Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell discussed her work validating psychic abilities & ESP. Such research tends to be a career killer for scientists who find if they pursue topics outside of the mainstream paradigm they could be risking their tenure-- the late Prof. John Mack faced tremendous difficulties because of his unconventional research subjects, she noted. Yet, it's important to look at the data, beyond one's mindset, otherwise science stays stagnant, she continued.

Telepathy has its highest incidence in dreams, and this could be associated with increased activity in the brain's limbic system, which is lessened when we are awake, she said. The newer, more evolved parts of the brain may actually get in the way of psychic activity, Powell added. But autistic savants have this higher activity in their limbic system when awake, which could relate to their ability to perform astonishing feats such as with numbers. Perhaps they are psychically tapping into an information field, she suggested. The book Thinking in Pictures chronicles Temple Grandin's autistic perspectives.

Interestingly, head injuries can lead to psychic abilities, Powell has found. She cited the case of well known psychic Peter Hurkos, who first gained his abilities after an accident. Genetics can also play a role-- psychic gifts often run in families. She also touched on animals' psychic abilities, noting Rupert Sheldrake's work on dogs and their owners.

Energy Solutions

First hour guest, author Tom Blees shared solutions for global problems related to energy and greenhouse gas emissions. The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is a superior technology that burns nuclear waste as fuel, and could provide us with unlimited energy for 50,000 years, he declared. Blees also spoke about boron as a replacement for fossil fuels-- it's four times more energy dense than gasoline, he said.