In a 1896 edition of 'Popular Science Monthly' David Starr Jordan, the president of Stanford University, published an article about a new form of photography. Sympsychography was the name of the new technique that allowed invisible brainwaves to be shown on a photographic plate.
The first test of this new technique involved a person directing their thoughts of a cat towards a plate. When the plate was processed, the image of a cat was visible. However, not all was as it seemed...
The first test of this new technique involved a person directing their thoughts of a cat towards a plate. When the plate was processed, the image of a cat was visible. However, not all was as it seemed...
Ultimate Cat Reality
Sympsychography. In September 1896 David Starr Jordan, the president of Stanford University, published an article in 'Popular Science Monthly', which detailed the discovery of a new form of photography. Sympsychography was based on findings that showed brain waves are able to produce an image on a photographic plate.
A man named Cameron Lee had demonstrated Sympsychography through experiments, where he burned the image of a cat onto a photographic plate, using his mind.
On April 1st the Astral Camera Club of Alcalde decided to take Sympsychography a little further. Seven members of the club focussed their minds towards a plate, while all thinking of a cat. The resulting picture showed not one but rather several cats superimposed one upon the other.
This was stated to be an "impression of ultimate cat reality".
A man named Cameron Lee had demonstrated Sympsychography through experiments, where he burned the image of a cat onto a photographic plate, using his mind.
On April 1st the Astral Camera Club of Alcalde decided to take Sympsychography a little further. Seven members of the club focussed their minds towards a plate, while all thinking of a cat. The resulting picture showed not one but rather several cats superimposed one upon the other.
This was stated to be an "impression of ultimate cat reality".
Pure Fiction
David Starr Jordan. So what was going on?
Had Cameron Lee, along with the Astral Camera Club of Alcalde, developed and experimented with a new type of photography; a form of thoughtography?
Well, knowing that you are reading an article about fakes, frauds and hoaxes will probably help you answer that question! No, Sympsychography was a purely made up story, but what is interesting is that it was not made up to fool anyone. It was written in jest with the hope that the (assumed) level headed readers of 'Popular Science Monthly' would recognise it as a joke.
Unfortunately, this was not the case and David Starr Jordan received several letters from people who believed the article, including one from a clergyman who had prepared six sermons on the subject!
Had Cameron Lee, along with the Astral Camera Club of Alcalde, developed and experimented with a new type of photography; a form of thoughtography?
Well, knowing that you are reading an article about fakes, frauds and hoaxes will probably help you answer that question! No, Sympsychography was a purely made up story, but what is interesting is that it was not made up to fool anyone. It was written in jest with the hope that the (assumed) level headed readers of 'Popular Science Monthly' would recognise it as a joke.
Unfortunately, this was not the case and David Starr Jordan received several letters from people who believed the article, including one from a clergyman who had prepared six sermons on the subject!
Ashley Hall 2012
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