Is there any scientific proof that dowsing actually works?

[RATTER15]

I have seen dowsers on the TV make some astounding water finds.

Is dowsing heavily disputed or can/has it been proved to actually work?

[scotman]

As far as I know there is no scientific proof of it working. Also, according to the laws of aerodynamics. bees cannot fly.

[daisya]

Don't know about scientific proof but many instances where dowsers are asked to find water in many situations and having seen it done on some tv programmes I think there is something in it but something that's natural not supernatural like some people will think.

[RATTER15]

I tend to believe that it does work and I also think it is probably down to some kind of natural force.

[venator]

We used to build houses, and always got this guy from one of the subcontractors to walk the site, marking out where the drains, pipes & cables were. no payment involved.

Don't know whether he had local knowledge or what, but it saved us thousands over the years.

[Graham-W]

Read the following and make your own mind up.
http://www.randi.org/library/dowsing/
No-one, so far, has won the million dollars.
Go figure.

[weecalf]

Possible but nothing springs to mind at the moment

[RATTER15]

Im really dissapointed after reading that article, im totally familiar with the Rhandi Institute and frequently refer to it.

So why can no one prove they can do it?

Im baffled, I actually want to believe in this!!

but I suppose its like I have always said, if I cant see it, smell it, taste, hear it, feel it, it almost certainly doesnt exist.

[Old_Geezer]

Oh no ! Our planet has no core then.

[RATTER15]

OG, just a little smart arsed are we? I think it is safe to assume everything has a centre!

[RATTER15]

I have also witnessed volcanoes!!

[heathfield]

It's somewhat strange that even the best dowsers don't do well when undergoing scientific tests. Why this should be hasn't ever been explained. But like Trimmy, I know it works because I've also done it - my best effort was recovering my car keys which I'd accidently dropped on a heather-covered hillside.
Successful dowsing stories are myriad, and cannot be readily dismissed. It's reckoned that around 85% of people have the ability to do it if shown how. My advice to the skeptic is to go out and try it - it might just change your mind.

http://books.google.c...ose%20dowsing&f=false

[Old_Geezer]

The non-existent core would be solid. I don't believe there is a RATTER15. It's probably an AB bot that posts all this.

[RATTER15]

OG, your remarks are childish to say the least!

[daisya]

IMO I think there are things on this planet that cannot be explained no matter how hard we try. Why is it that some people will not accept "natural unexplained happenings" without the cry of we want scientific proof? Things happen to some people and not others, we are all different but we don't need to prove that we see it as it is. As for dowsing, I've read books, watched tv on it (never tried it myself though) and what comes across to me is that something happens to some people and not others. I personally am quite happy to accept a lot of things of which I make my own mind up about. Keep prodding and digging too much and for too long you end up going round in circles, digging your own deep hole as you go. I don't see myself as gullible, quite the opposite in fact, (cynical...moi?) but I think I am intelligent enough to use my own judgement about people and situations and tbh I'm cool with that.

[RATTER15]

Daisya, Its easy to accept things just because you are told so. I cant do that, I like to know that what I believe in is the truth, it actually exists, isnt that what makes us intelligent, I would love to believe in many things but the facts say NO.

Believing in something without some sort of proof or tangible evidence is very foolish IMO. Blind faith rings a bell!!!

[Old_Geezer]

The least? Feel free to say more.

[chakka35]

daisya, RATTER15 is quite right. If someone claims a certain skill which cannot be explained then the first thing to investigate is whether that skill actually exists. That is the right thing to do, rather than just to shrug our shoulders and accept 'natural unexplained happenings' - surely intellectual laziness.

Alll tests on dowsing shows that no such 'skill' exists, anecdotes notwithstanding, therefore there is nothing to explain.

[RATTER15]

Trimeresurus, Im sure what you say is true, I think lol.

The reason asking this in the first place is in my field/wild garden we have no water or access to water, however there is a well on the other side of the road and we nearly always have water running down the side of our lane emanating from near the top of the hill, so im fairly sure there is plenty of water afoot and a bore hole on the other side of the road also suggests this fact.
I think I will need to go and do some dowsing myself. It has been suggested by a neighbour that there used to be a well on my land but I can find no trace.