Wiki Project Paranormal - Scope

Scope

Subjects covered by this project include (but are not necessarily limited to):

Anomalistics

• The use of scientific methods to evaluate phenomena that fall outside of current understanding, with the aim of finding a rational explanation.

Cryptozoology

• The search for animals hypothesized to exist, but for which conclusive proof is missing.

Paranormal phenomena

• An umbrella term used to describe a wide variety of reported anomalous phenomena, including any phenomenon that in one or more respects exceeds the limits of what is deemed possible/plausible under current scientific understanding.

Paranormal hoaxes and frauds

• Incidents in which an attempt has been made to trick an audience into believing that they are witnessing, or reading about, a genuine paranormal phenomenon.

Parapsychology

• The study of evidence for "paranormal psychological phenomena" such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis.

Scientific inquiry which departs significantly from orthodoxy

• Generally, the research that goes against current thought of a majority of researchers which usually entails something that is extra-ordinary or unusual. This includes elements from fringe science, protoscience, and pseudoscience, as well as claims of a more speculative nature that do not fall into the above categories.

Ufology

• The study of unidentified flying object (UFO) reports, sightings, alleged physical evidence, and other related phenomena.

Urban myths and legends involving the paranormal

• Modern folklore consisting of stories often said to be factual by those circulating them.

WikiProject Paranormal also covers many topics which have been associated with the paranormal due to myth, legend, and popular belief, or which have involved the presence of a mystery containing paranormal parallels but which are not strictly related to the paranormal (including instances where rational explanations have been established and accepted). Examples of such topics include unexplained disappearances; selected conspiracy theories involving UFOs and/or other factors that exceed the boundaries of accepted science, such as free energy suppression; and locations or objects about which unscientific beliefs exist, such as megaliths.