xnor
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- May 28, 2009
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This is old news but it was brought to my attention recently so I thought why not share it. Not about sound, but (anti)science.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651
Product page (archived)
First some numbers:
.. so pretty expensive and even governments bought it, in large quantities.
Pseudoscientific descriptions of how it works are given:
Some break-in like process is required:
The device was completely useless, but once you invest a lot of money ...
Typical excuses are given:
The well known "I don't care how it works, all I know is that it does work":
If it doesn't work it's operator error:
The shocking news is that the device was invented roughly 10 years ago, but the founder of the company was not convicted until April 2013. Keep in mind that this device got people killed in all those years of use.
Just like with speaker cables, James Randi offered $1 million "to anyone who can prove the device's effectiveness as far back as October 2008". Nobody won the challenge. In case of the latter nobody even responded to Randi.
Here's the jref article and video.
---
When I first heard about it I thought it was a joke.. then I was shocked. What do you think?
(Keep in mind not to discuss politics as it is forbidden according to the TOS.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651
Product page (archived)
First some numbers:
sold for as much as $60,000 per unit
Iraqi government is said to have spent £52 million ($85 million) on useless devices
.. so pretty expensive and even governments bought it, in large quantities.
Pseudoscientific descriptions of how it works are given:
The cards are claimed to be designed to "tune into" the "frequency" of a particular explosive or other substance named on the card.
The device is said to work on the principle of "electrostatic magnetic ion attraction".
Some break-in like process is required:
The cards were supposedly "programmed" or "activated" by being placed in a jar for a week along with a sample of the target substance to absorb the substance's "vapours".
The device was completely useless, but once you invest a lot of money ...
Typical excuses are given:
using the device properly is more of an art than a science: "If we are tense, the device doesn't work correctly. I start slow, and relax my body, and I try to clear my mind."
The well known "I don't care how it works, all I know is that it does work":
"Whether it's magic or scientific, what I care about is detecting bombs.
If it doesn't work it's operator error:
any deficiencies were due to defective training in the device's use
The shocking news is that the device was invented roughly 10 years ago, but the founder of the company was not convicted until April 2013. Keep in mind that this device got people killed in all those years of use.
Just like with speaker cables, James Randi offered $1 million "to anyone who can prove the device's effectiveness as far back as October 2008". Nobody won the challenge. In case of the latter nobody even responded to Randi.
Here's the jref article and video.
---
When I first heard about it I thought it was a joke.. then I was shocked. What do you think?
(Keep in mind not to discuss politics as it is forbidden according to the TOS.)