Animal Telepathy?

Most of the scientific community does not accept the existence of telepathy as an objective fact. Although NASA and numerous research centers around the world have carried out experiments on this phenomenon, the official conclusion at the moment is that it is not possible to transmit thoughts without using a physical medium.

Rupert Sheldrake, a biologist at the University of Cambridge, however, opposed the opinion of the experts and decided to devote himself to the design and implementation of experiments on telepathy, using animals.  He is in fact convinced that telepathy exists and that it is possible to prove it through the simple observation of animal behavior.

Sheldrake’s discoveries

Rupert Sheldrake has been doing his research for over fifteen years, mostly using pets. It ensures that 50% of dogs, for example, know in advance when their owner is about to go home. In fact, he managed to prove it through some videos that he had made public online, but which were withdrawn from the network for no apparent reason.

According to Sheldrake, dogs develop a special emotional bond with some people, who may or may not be their owners. This would allow the dog to sense their proximity long before they are physically present. According to his research, 30% of cats also have this ability.

His experiments also showed that, in 64 out of 65 cases, cats disappear just before the appointment with the vet. It is as if they know in advance what is going to happen and run away to avoid it. However, these data have not yet been validated by a formal study that verifies them 100%.

Professor Sheldrake also argues his theory through the particular ability of dogs to perceive the inner world of people. For this reason, these are animals that feel like or dislike some people instantly, as if they knew their innermost intentions and acted accordingly.

Telepathy or refined communication skills?

Sheldrake’s experiments did not have enough follow-up. Alongside the alleged telepathic ability to perceive when their masters are about to arrive, in fact, there could be other explanations. This behavior could also be due to the extraordinary development of some senses, such as smell  or habit, which tells them the time, more or less exact, when their master leaves or returns home.

Animals too are able to identify gestures or habits that precede certain actions.  We human beings, in fact, often perform mechanical behaviors, without even realizing it. For example, it may be that when we go to the doctor we tend to wear a certain type of clothing, and pets may sense this and understand what is about to happen.

A similar mechanism could be behind sympathy or dislike: if someone approaches an animal with the intention of harming them, they will be more tense and likely have higher adrenaline levels. The animal can perceive these facts as an indication of its intentions and, therefore, assume an attitude of defense.

The communicative and emotional bond can be so close that simple gestures are enough for a pet to guess the emotional state of its owner, or vice versa.

Nonetheless, alleged evidence of telepathic communication between humans and animals continues to occur. These clues are enough to ensure that the argument is not dismissed with total skepticism, but that it gives rise to new questions and research on this front.

Image courtesy of Patton.