Bad Science in The Guardian

[Grahame]

Fame at last? The BSD has been mentioned in today's 'Bad Science' column in The Guardian.

>CLICK HERE< to read the article.

The article concerns the 'Ecowatt Thermal Energy Cell', (link broken) which it is claimed produces more energy than is put into it.

The relevant paragraph is about Jim Lyons:

Has anybody validated this claim? Jim Lyons, of the University of York, independently evaluated the system, says the Mail. Oh. Jim is a business development manager in York's enterprise and innovation office, although he does also have a fun science hobby. As a member of the British Society of Dowsers, he undertakes research into the geo- and bio-physics of Earth energies. His special research topic is the mechanism of dowsing, based on quantum ideas in consciousness studies.

The article then moves on to discuss the work of another scientist who refuted the claims for the device and there is no further mention of Jim or what his findings were. The unwritten implication that 'he's a dowser, therefore he's a nutter and his results are worthless' is defamatory both to Jim and to the BSD, not to mention dowsing in general. I think I feel a letter to The Guardian coming on...

[Ian Pegler]

This has been all over the web for ages, especially the skeptical forums. It relates to an article in the Mail on Sunday that came out around the time of the last BSD Conference.

I don't think there's much that's directly defamatory to Jim here, although for balance they should have possibly mentioned his qualifications and experience, all of which are given on the York Uni website (link broken) instead of just citing his membership of the BSD etc. as if that's all he's ever achieved.



Ian