PUTHOFF, Harold E.
Puthoff, Harold E. ("Hal"), American physicist, co-founded the Stanford Research Institute's remote-viewing research program in the 1970s under Central Intelligence Agency and Defense Intelligence Agency funding, a program whose existence and funding are declassified matters of record even as the psychic abilities it studied were never scientifically validated.
Harold Eugene Puthoff is a physicist and engineer who transitioned from legitimate scientific research to controversial investigations of psychic phenomena and unidentified aerial phenomena. His work spans quantum field theory, remote viewing research, and zero-point energy studies, making him a significant figure in both mainstream physics and fringe science communities.
Puthoff earned his PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1967 and conducted early research in laser physics and quantum electronics. His scientific credentials were established through work at Stanford Research Institute (SRI), where he published peer-reviewed research on laser technology and quantum field effects.
In the 1970s, Puthoff co-founded SRI’s remote viewing program with Russell Targ, investigating claims that individuals could psychically perceive distant locations. This research, funded partly by CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency contracts, attempted to demonstrate extrasensory perception capabilities for intelligence applications.
The remote viewing experiments involved testing subjects who claimed ability to describe hidden targets or distant locations through psychic perception alone. Puthoff and Targ reported positive results in controlled studies, though their methodology and conclusions faced significant criticism from the mainstream scientific community.
Puthoff later founded EarthTech International and the Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin, focusing on theoretical physics research including zero-point energy and space propulsion concepts. His work in these areas remains highly speculative and has not achieved scientific acceptance.
In recent years, Puthoff has become associated with UAP disclosure efforts, claiming knowledge of classified government programs investigating unidentified aerial phenomena. His statements about “metamaterials” and advanced propulsion systems have gained attention in UFO research communities while remaining unverified by independent scientists.
Bibliography:
- Puthoff, Harold E. scientific publications and patents
- Targ, Russell. *Mind-Reach* (1977)
- Radin, Dean. *The Conscious Universe* (1997)
- Academic papers on remote viewing research