Do dowsing rods work?
On One Hand: Unknown EnergyPractitioners of dowsing feel that finding water or lost objects using dowsing rods or pendulums works by the dowser forming a connection between themselves and the natural energy of the Earth. This may be an electrical, magnetic or other sense that has not been fully explained or understood yet.On the Other: Chance and ObservationScientific and governmental agencies have studied dowsing as far back as medieval times, and usually conclude that dowsing works no better than blind luck. Skeptics say dowsers’ successes can also be explained by knowledge of natural principles, such as the presence of plant and terrain features near water.Bottom LineThe most likely explanation for dowsing is ideomotor action, or instinctive, involuntary movement, in which dowsers subconsciously move the rods themselves in response to internal expectations. This is the same principle under which Ouija boards work.
