Andrija Puharich

Andrija Puharich, born Henry Karel Puharić, was a physician and researcher active in parapsychology. Born in Chicago to Croatian immigrants, he pursued medical studies at Northwestern University during World War II, earning his M.D. in 1947. His early career included service in the Army Medical Corps, where he began exploring the potential military applications of paranormal phenomena, interacting with intelligence agencies.

Puharich is notably recognized for bringing psychics Peter Hurkos and Uri Geller to the United States for scientific investigation, often concluding they possessed genuine abilities, though critics questioned his methodology and conclusions. He also explored altered states of consciousness through the use of hallucinogenic substances during indigenous rituals in Mexico, which informed some of his writings. His research spanned various esoteric and scientific interests, including the alleged effects of Soviet radiation beams, the work of Nikola Tesla, and the influence of electromagnetic waves on the mind, leading to several patents for medical and scientific devices.

Andrija Puharich dedicated a significant portion of his career to investigating individuals claiming psychic abilities. He invited Dutch psychic Peter Hurkos to the U.S. in 1956, studying him in a controlled environment at his Maine laboratory. Puharich concluded Hurkos possessed genuine psychic powers, though other investigators remained unconvinced. Later, in 1971, he met Uri Geller, whom he also endorsed as a genuine psychic, documenting their interactions in his book 'Uri: A Journal of the Mystery of Uri Geller.' Puharich claimed Geller could transmute metal into gold and teleport objects, and that they communicated with extraterrestrial intelligence. These claims were met with skepticism from experts who noted the absence of fraud specialists during Puharich's observations.

Puharich's research extended into altered states of consciousness and esoteric traditions. In 1960, he participated in Chatino rituals in Mexico involving hallucinogenic drugs, an experience that influenced his books 'The Sacred Mushroom' and 'Beyond Telepathy.' He also investigated channeling sessions, inviting Hindu mystic Dhundiraj G. Vinod, during which 'The Nine' entities were reportedly contacted. Furthermore, Puharich explored the potential effects of low-frequency radiation beams, attributing various phenomena, including climatic disturbances and diseases, to Soviet weapon testing based on Nikola Tesla's work. He also wrote about Tesla's alleged contact with extraterrestrials.

Beyond his parapsychological research, Andrija Puharich was a medical inventor with over 50 patents. Among his notable inventions were devices designed to aid hearing, such as 'Means For Aiding Hearing' and 'Method And Apparatus For Improving Neural Performance In Human Subjects By Electrotherapy.' He also patented a 'Method and Apparatus for Splitting Water Molecules.' His scientific investigations included studying the impact of extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic waves on the human mind, leading to the development of devices intended to block or modify these waves, which he believed could cause harm.