Biological Phenomena

Term used by parapsychologists for psychokinetic influences on living systems, such as accelerating or retarding growth of seeds, plants, or bacteria or apparently revivifying anesthetized mice. J. B. Rhine used the term "psychokinesis on living targets," (expressed in the acronym "PK-LT.")

Stimulating the growth of plants is a phenomenon occasionally met with in spiritualist literature. It was claimed that marked mango seeds were made to sprout by Charles Bailey, the Australian apport medium. An Indian myrtle developed from seed to a height of 16 inches in 20 minutes. A loquat seed similarly grew with accelerated speed. His investigators at Milan, Italy, in 1904 could not detect fraud in the performance. However, Bailey was once detected in fraud, which has thrown doubt upon his other phenomena. Moreover, the sudden growth of mango plants is a well-known conjuring trick performed by Hindu jugglers.

In Angelic Revelations published anonymously in 1875, William Oxley wrote of a séance with Elizabeth d'Esperance: "Yolande brought me a rose with a short stem not more than an inch long which I put into my bosom. Feeling something was transpiring, I drew it out and found there were two roses. I then replaced them and withdrawing them at the conclusion of the meeting, to my astonishment the stem had elongated to seven inches with three full blown roses and a bud upon it with several thorns."

In certain individuals, some vital force seems to destroy bacteria, prevent decomposition, and add vigor to dying flowers.

(See also emanations )