One of the rarer paranormal claims one comes across is the ability of the human will to produce an effect on a target at a distance. In the case of Dr Rolf Alexander, he claimed that on a clear day with little or no wind he could disintegrate a cumulous cloud by willpower, leaving the clouds on either side unchanged. Dr Alexander's credentials include a D.Sc. degree, and his claims are supported by a prominent member of an American aircraft company and the general-manager of a chain of department stores in Canada. According to Dr Alexander, his book, Creative Realism, is "required reading" for certain executive staff of two corporations, and that the Foreign Office, National Research Foundation, and the British Overseas Airways Corporation had all shown "great interest."

At a demonstration before the press and television cameras to get publicity for the forthcoming British edition of his book, a cloud worked on by Dr Alexander disappeared in about 15 minutes.

Comment:

Whether Dr Alexander was suffering from a delusion or really believed that he could influence the composition of a cloud formation using "mind power" is a matter for conjecture. If a sufficiently gullible enough audience can be gathered around you it is a simple matter to create the illusion. On a partly cloudy day with a slight wind pick out a small patch of cumulous and keep it under observation, nine times out of ten it will slowly evaporate. Conversely other small patches of otherwise invisible water vapour will be seen to appear, condense and form a cloud.


From: Edwards, H. 1994 Magic Minds Miraculous Moments, Harry Edwards Publications