Strange Case of Dr. Raudive
Note: For the uninitiated, the term Electronic Voice Phenomenon (or EVP) refers to the anomalous appearance of voices, voice-like sounds, or any other seemingly human sounds, often thought to be of paranormal origin, that are heard on audio recordings, but not by the human ear. They are therefore only heard on the playback of a recording, and not by a human observer when the sound would have seemingly taken place. Unexplained voices are also widely reported to be heard in the real world by human observers. But because these are heard with the ear, they are not, it should be noted, considered to be EVPs.
Though our current moniker for the effect wasn’t coined until the mid 20th century, Electronic Voice Phenomenon has been around a long time. First officially noted around 1901, it possibly dates back as far as 1852, when a similar phenomenon was described by American researcher Jonathan Koons. Over the years, many scientists and researchers-- including the likes of Nicola Tesla, Guglielmo Marconi, and Thomas Edison --have reported this unexplained occurrence. Indeed, the prospect of man’s establishing contact with the other world by means of instruments has drawn a few academics to devote a good deal of their lives’ work to the endeavor. Among the most notable of this caste were Swedish researcher Fredrich Jurgenson, German psychologist and later parapsychologist Hans Bender, and Latvian psychologist Konstantin Raudive. The three eventually came to work together, and between them, they pioneered much of the field of EVP study as we know it today.
Their story goes like this: In 1959 Jurgenson, a film producer, was recording birdsongs when he captured what he believed to be the spiritual voice of a Norwegian man. This motivated him to conduct several successful recording experiments, including one in which he is reported to have received a message from his deceased mother. Jurgenson’s recordings quickly attracted the attention of Bender, a research head at the University of Freiburg. Upon investigation with his team, Bender espoused that the recordings were “susceptible to a paranormal interpretation". Also impressed by their progress was Raudive, a teacher at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. He came to work with Jurgenson and Bender. Raudive spent much of the last ten years of his life exploring what were at the time known as “Raudive Voices” with numerous electronics experts. All together, over 100,000 recordings were conducted in a wide variety of settings, most under what Raudive described as “strict laboratory conditions”. Over 400 people were involved in the research, and all apparently heard the voices. The recording protocols and procedures set out by Raudive are still used today by EVP investigators.
Here’s where things turn a bit unusual: In recent times, a surge of activity seems to have been occurring in the field of EVP. Many experimenters are inclined to believe that Raudive, who died in 1974, is behind this new wave-- continuing his effort from the other side, as it were-- bent on convincing the world that communication between the living and the dead is a reality. Reports have it that numerous researchers, working independently, have received his messages on audio and video. Some have intercepted his otherworldly messages via computers. It is said that he has spoken through radios and TV sets to a number of witnesses. Perhaps most bizarrely, it seems that Raudive’s spirit has telephoned researchers in various European countries. To be sure, many spirits are not at rest. Moreover, it would appear a few still have work to do!
By Steve S.