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In 1979 James Smith McDonnell * allocated to Washington University in St. Louis a grant of 500 thousand dollars for the organization of Laboratory of mental researches of McDonnell with a research objective of various psi-phenomena, including telekinesis and telepathy.

In July, 1981 at a meeting of magicians in the city of Pittsburgh James Randi delivered a critical speech concerning reliability of experiments in Laboratory of mental researches of McDonnell. At the same time he made several revelations, referring to videos of experiments.

One of researchers of ekstrasensorny abilities with a regret told: "Randi rejected parapsychological science on 100 years ago".

The truth was that they made all this only by means of illyuzionistsky tricks.

Following the results of experiments which lasted about a year the Laboratory made the report on large parapsychological a meeting in Sirakuzakh in August, 1981. However the report was met ambiguously as the critical statements of Randi made a month earlier seemed for many convincing.

It did not make sense to continue further this a mystification.

However other researchers of paranormal abilities began to work with young conjurers. For the next year Shaw and Edwards went on the different cities of the USA and participated in various parapsychological experiments and demonstrations. Several reports on the proved psi-abilities at this couple were published in various magazines.

Consequences were immediate. The laboratory of mental researches of McDonnell was closed.

In response to the accruing criticism employees of Laboratory decided to strengthen control over carrying out experiments then manifestations of psi-abilities at examinees enigmatically disappeared.

At the beginning of 1983 Randi convened a press conference at office of the Discover magazine under the pretext of allegedly first confirmed case of ekstrasensorny abilities. Randi presented to journalists of two young people - Steve Shaw and Mike Edwards. After that Randi carelessly asked Edwards: "How everything passed?". Edwards answered: "Frankly speaking, we swindled". The gathered journalists felt shock.

However Randi's letter, most likely, took the effect. In response to doubts concerning reliability of tests doctor Phillips decided to conduct a video of separate experiments.

After that the Laboratory almost stopped work with Steve Shaw and Mike Edwards, having declared insufficiency of proofs of presence at them of ekstrasensorny abilities. At the same time the Laboratory did not call into question reliability of earlier made experiments.

It should be noted that during experiments of Randi sent the letter to the head of Laboratory doctor Peter Phillips in whom stated recommendations and cautions concerning a technique of carrying out experiments. Also Randi offered the services of the consultant on a grant basis. Doctor Phillips refused services of the professional conjurer, having said that his team is able to provide purity of experiments independently.

Also existence of psychics was called into question.

Selection tests showed that Shaw and Edvarts are the most gifted psychics from 300 applicants who addressed to Laboratory.

The famous conjurer-illusionist James Randi **, having doubted reliability of the made experiments on identification of psi-abilities, offered two young conjurers, Steve Shaw (18 years) and Mike Edwards (17 years), to take part in "selection" tests on identification of psi-abilities in neogenic Laboratory. Young conjurers with enthusiasm agreed to this experiment. So three conjurers began the grandiose mystification which received the name the Alpha project.

After that a long series of experiments on studying of psi-abilities began. Young people bent spoons, recognized drawings in the sealed envelopes, stopped by force of thought the electronic clock, moved objects under a glass cap, created the image on a film in the camera.

Thus the Alpha project carried out all tasks assigned to it. In particular it was proved that: