On April 4, 2009, Dr. Ross did a two-hour interview about his Human Energy Fields book with David Schrader on Darkness Radio (www.darknessradio.com). In the second hour, a prepared audio statement by James Randi is played in which James Randi announces that Dr. Ross has received the James Randi Educational Foundation Pigasus Award (www.randi.org). This award is important because it establishes James Randi's attitude and tone concerning detection of the human eyebeam (called human ocular extramission in Dr. Ross' scientific papers). The JREF attitude towards extramission is an excellent example of paradigm shift resistance - whether it be in physics, physiology, or any other area of science, paradigm shift resistance takes many forms and has intellectual and sociological aspects. The sociology includes ridicule, belittling, sarcasm, black-balling and similar strategies that can destroy an academic career. Ridicule is not a scientific critique, however.

Dr. Ross' theory of human ocular extramission is a testable scientific hypothesis. Dr. Ross has data demonstrating the reality of extramission under review at scientific journals. As in any area of science, reasonable skepticism is a necessary part of how science moves forward. The data need to be replicated by other investigators, published in scientific journals, and subjected to peer review and criticism. This is a different process from ridicule and belittling.

• Darkness Radio Hour 1
  
• Darkness Radio Hour 2

The posting on the JREF web page can be found at: http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/jref-news/500-pigasus-awards-for-2008-announced.html